Berthold Technologies, Bad Wildbad, Germany, points out that potassium content measurement for the potash industry is one of the most difficult and challenging measurements in the mining industry. It is, however, essential in the potash production process. Potassium contains the radioactive isotope K-40. This isotope is only found in extremely small quantities in the ore itself. The detection of the K-40 requires an extremely sensitive and superior stable measurement system, which must be capable of suppressing the inherent background radiation in order to obtain an optimal signal-to-noise ratio. Through the detection of K-40, the concentration of K2O or KCl can be measured.

Berthold has come up with an elegant solution for this challenging task by providing accurate potassium measurements with the LB 474 potassium analyzer. The system is non-contacting, which virtually eliminates maintenance and costly downtime. Applying highly sensitive, stable and rugged detectors is fundamental to achieving a precise measurement. The LB 474 uses three different types of detectors depending on the process conditions and the mechanical arrangement. The company is a world technology leader in the field of radiometric measuring systems. www.berthold.com
 

A Berthold Technologies LB 474 analyzer installed at a potassium processing plant

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