Technology for Obtaining Potassium Nitrate by Processing Brucite from the Navbahor Deposit with Nitric Acid and Converting it with Potassium Chloride

In this paper, the technology of obtaining KNO3 from the Navbahor deposit by processing with nitric acid and converting potassium chloride is studied to generate environmentally sustainable and cost effective technology. Some of the technical parameters on the conversion process efficiency are analyzed. The decomposition of Mg(OH)2 in the nitric acid, resulting in magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2) formation and its subsequent reaction with KCl obtained from sylvinite by flotation, leading to the formation of chloride-free potassium nitrate, are studied. Using a spectrophotometer (energy dispersive type X-ray spectroscopy), the energy dispersion of KNO3 and the number of elements in its composition are determined. To determine the optimum conditions of the conversion process, several variables, such as reaction temperature, molar ratio of reactants KCl and Mg(NO3)2, and reaction time, were studied, the final product consisted with 20.05-23.00 % of MgCl2 and 43.55-45.00% of KNO3 with 96–98% purity. Temperature, crystallization behavior, filtered solid-to-liquid ratio, and other process variables were carefully studied. Additionally, the feasibility of producing a liquid complex fertilizer from potassium nitrate, phosphoric acid, and ammonium nitrate was assessed. The resulting samples were analyzed for density, viscosity, and nutrient content.