Progress in the investigation of potash resources in western China

ABSTRACT: Through the study of the geological conditions of potash deposits in China from recent years, a new understanding of potash theories has arisen that appropriate Chinese geological features. Important progress and substantial breakthroughs have been gained in the direction and management of potash prospecting: (1) Important breakthroughs in continental potassium prospecting: The “Quaternary gravel type deep potassium rich brine metallogenic model in western Qaidam” ensures Quaternary deep potassium rich brine prospecting will grow new KCl resources by 350 Mt, providing a resource guarantee for meeting the Chinese demand for sylvite. (2) The Marine facies potash prospecting shows good prospects: the determination of the new type of Triassic polyhalite potash ore deposits in Sichuan provide an important scientific basis for the establishment of exploration planning and the selection of exploration target areas for polyhalite minerals in the Sichuan Basin; The “two-storey potash deposits model” in southwestern Yunnan has been confirmed, which indicates prospects for the exploration of potash in the deeper Marine facies in southwestern Yunnan are likely to be successful. The discovery of a high concentration of rich bromite salt and potash salt in the Paleogene of the Kuqa depression and the southwestern Tarim region provides strong support for the likelihood large-scale potash deposits exist in these regions.