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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>EMCC</title> <atom:link href="https://www.emccindustry.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/</link> <description>China leading manufacturer of fertilizer Granulation Production Line,</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 03 Jan 2025 09:21:27 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1</generator> <image> <url>https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/zdtb.png</url> <title>EMCC</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height></image> <item> <title>A Detailed Look At Limestone Drying</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/a-detailed-look-at-limestone-drying.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/a-detailed-look-at-limestone-drying.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jan 2025 09:21:27 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Mineral powder granulation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Product Knowledge]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3298</guid> <description><![CDATA[Limestone drying, typically carried out in rotary dryers, is utilized throughout this industrial mineral’s lifecycle, from quarrying to finished product. The […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Limestone drying, typically carried out in <strong><a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/drum-dryer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rotary dryers</a></strong>, is utilized throughout this industrial mineral’s lifecycle, from quarrying to finished product. The following explores why drying is essential for quality limestone, its role in production, key considerations, and the importance of testing and equipment design for a reliable drying process.</p><h2>Why Dry Limestone?</h2><p>Whether destined for use as a fertilizer, building material, or other use, quarried limestone may go through a range of different processes to prepare the material for its end use. Drying is one of the first and most critical steps, playing an integral role in allowing limestone producers to optimize their production lines, bring a salable product to market, and ensure their products meet customer expectations.</p><h3>Settings Where Limestone Drying is Necessary</h3><p>Depending on the end use of the limestone, drying may occur once or a few times throughout processing. The following applications are most common.</p><h4>Mineral Processing</h4><p>Drying is often one of the first steps after quarrying, preceded only by initial crushing and sorting in many cases. By preparing the material properly from the start, manufacturers ensure improved production at every stage.</p><p>Depending on the intended use of the product, a washing step may also be employed. Whether or not a washing step is employed, drying typically follows primary crushing as a way to improve downstream screening, sorting, and if applicable, fine grinding, all of which could otherwise be significantly hindered by a high-moisture material.</p><p>The moisture content of quarried limestone can vary significantly, ranging anywhere from 5% to 15% or higher. To meet market and downstream production requirements, limestone must typically fall within the range of 0.5% to 5% moisture content, though this, too, varies depending on the end use.</p><p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3299 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dried-Ground-Limestone.webp" alt="" width="600" height="337" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dried-Ground-Limestone.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dried-Ground-Limestone-300x169.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Dried, ground limestone</i></p><h5><b>Benefits of Drying Limestone in the Mineral Processing Stage</b></h5><p>Drying at this stage offers several benefits:</p><ul><li aria-level="1">Improved transportation and shipping economics</li><li aria-level="1">Enhanced production line flow and reduced clogging of downstream equipment, especially screens</li><li aria-level="1">More streamlined handling</li><li aria-level="1">Less clumping and caking during handling and storage</li><li aria-level="1">Assurance that limestone will meet market expectations for moisture content</li></ul><p>When the resulting limestone is calcined, drying also helps to improve the efficiency of the calcination step; if moisture removal was not carried out prior to calcination, the kiln would have to be much larger to accommodate both moisture removal and calcination.</p><h4>Pelletizing</h4><p>Limestone is frequently pelletized into uniform granules with minimal dust. While this process can vary, the preferred approach in many cases is the combination of <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/equipment/disc-granulation-production-line/disc-granulator.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>disc pelletizer</strong></a>, as this setup promotes a highly refined product with optimal appearance, handling, and performance qualities.</p><p>If limestone has been stockpiled outdoors, drying may also be necessary prior to pelletizing, in order to meet the feedstock requirements necessary for pellet formation.</p><p>During the pelletizing process, a liquid binder is used to facilitate agglomeration, as well as aid in end product crush strength. As a result of this moisture addition, a drying step becomes necessary.</p><p>Drying at this stage is a finishing step used to bring the product into the moisture content required by its intended application.</p><h5><b>Benefits of Drying Limestone After Pelletizing</b></h5><p>While drying is a necessary part of the pelletizing process, it also offers a few benefits:</p><ul><li aria-level="1">Improved product shelf life</li><li aria-level="1">Reduced potential for product caking</li><li aria-level="1">More polished, refined granules (when carried out in a rotary dryer)</li></ul><p><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3296 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Raw-and-Pelletized-Limestone.webp" alt="" width="600" height="337" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Raw-and-Pelletized-Limestone.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Raw-and-Pelletized-Limestone-300x169.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Limestone before and after pelletizing and drying</em></p><h2><b>Limestone Dryers</b></h2><p>Limestone drying may be carried out in different types of industrial drying equipment, with the most common being rotary dryers, followed by fluid bed dryers.</p><h3>Rotary Dryers</h3><p>Thanks to their heavy-duty build and high throughput, rotary dryers offer ideal processing capabilities in both mineral dressing and pelletizing settings when processing limestone.</p><p>Additionally, the rotating motion paired with lifting flights that create a “curtain” or cascading action of material ensures that the material is properly and evenly dried.</p><p>Rotary dryers are also favored particularly in rock drying settings because of their tolerance to variation in feedstock parameters such as moisture content, particle size distribution, and more. While feedstock should always be as uniform as possible, rotary dryers do not experience disruptions due to slight variations in material and generally produce a uniform result.</p><p>Rotary dryers also offer a high level of opportunity for customization, which can sometimes be critical in designing for specific sources of limestone. Common customizations and modifications include:</p><ul><li aria-level="1">Co-current or counter-current design</li><li aria-level="1">Incorporation of a combustion chamber</li><li aria-level="1">Custom inlet/feed area design</li><li aria-level="1">Customized flight design and pattern</li><li aria-level="1">Thicker shells for abrasion resistance</li><li aria-level="1">Use of alternative materials of construction</li><li aria-level="1">Special burner options that limit emissions such as NOx and CO</li><li aria-level="1">Knockout chamber (discharge breeching) design</li><li aria-level="1">Seal options</li></ul><h2><b>Material Considerations When Drying Limestone</b></h2><p>As with any material, limestone presents its own unique set of challenges when it comes to drying. Chief among them are limestone’s abrasive quality and its potential for clumping, both of which must be addressed during initial dryer design.</p><h3><b>Abrasion</b></h3><p>The extent of limestone’s abrasive quality can vary from one source to the next, but all should be addressed through the proper selection of materials of construction. Preparing for abrasion is especially important during the initial mineral processing stages, when particle sizes are larger and have the potential to inflict more damage.</p><p>Depending on the extent of abrasion, abrasion-resistant steel may be necessary for the entire drum shell, as well as flight construction.</p><h3><b>Clumping</b></h3><p>Limestone is also prone to clumping, particularly at higher moisture contents. As clumping progresses to buildup, it can cause a number of issues and must be minimized through careful dryer design.</p><p>Rotary dryers offer several approaches to minimize clumping and buildup:</p><ul><li aria-level="1">The incorporation of a “bald” or flightless section at the dryer inlet, which allows for some moisture reduction prior to the introduction of flights.</li><li aria-level="1">The integration of knockers on the drum’s exterior to dislodge any potential buildup.</li><li aria-level="1">The addition of a trommel screen or “grizzly” on the discharge end to break up any clumps that may have formed during drying.</li></ul><p><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3300 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trommel-Screen-on-a-Rotary-Dryer.webp" alt="" width="600" height="337" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trommel-Screen-on-a-Rotary-Dryer.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trommel-Screen-on-a-Rotary-Dryer-300x169.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Rotary dryer with trommel screen/grizzly (flights can also be seen)</i></p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>Drying plays an integral role in limestone processing, with a significant impact on the quality and efficiency of the final product. From the early stages of mineral processing to the final step of pelletizing, tight control of moisture content ensures that limestone products meet the stringent requirements of their specific applications. <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/drum-dryer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rotary dryers</strong></a> are uniquely positioned to provide the flexibility and customization necessary to handle the complexities of limestone drying. By addressing key material challenges such as abrasion and agglomeration, as well as optimizing process variables, producers can achieve reliable, high-quality drying operations.</p><p>EMCC is a preferred supplier of limestone dryers because, in addition to the industry’s most renowned dryers, we offer comprehensive solutions that extend far beyond equipment. Our process development services at the EMCC Innovation Center allow us to tailor drying processes to the unique needs of each limestone source, ensuring optimal performance and product quality. Additionally, EMCC offers extensive parts and service support, providing the necessary expertise and resources to ensure your operation runs smoothly and efficiently. With decades of experience in designing and manufacturing custom limestone dryers, EMCC is committed to providing reliable, high-quality solutions that meet your production process needs from start to finish. To learn more about EMCC’s extensive knowledge of any stage of limestone processing, <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/contact-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>contact us today</strong></a>!</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/a-detailed-look-at-limestone-drying.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Limestone Granulating – Material Characteristics to Consider</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/limestone-granulating-material-characteristics-to-consider.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/limestone-granulating-material-characteristics-to-consider.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jan 2025 03:10:29 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Mineral powder granulation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Product Knowledge]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3293</guid> <description><![CDATA[While granulating limestone has become common practice for the many advantages it can offer, the process requires careful engineering to […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3294 alignleft" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pelletized-Limestone.webp" alt="" width="300" height="168" /></p><p>While granulating limestone has become common practice for the many advantages it can offer, the process requires careful engineering to ensure a consistently reliable, continuous operation with maximum on-size yield. A number of material characteristics come into play.</p><h2>The Limestone Granulating Process</h2><p>The most common setup for a limestone granulating plant utilizes a mixer and disc granulator combination, an approach that not only maximizes on-size yield, but also leaves producers with a highly refined product.</p><p>This type of setup relies on the principles of wet granulation, or agitation agglomeration, in which a liquid binder is employed, alongside a tumbling motion, to convert powders and fines into spherical granules in an effect similar to rolling a snowball.</p><h2>Material Characteristics that Influence the Limestone Granulating Process</h2><p>Optimal pellet formation and growth depend largely on achieving the right combination of parameters, with each material’s optimal combination varying considerably.</p><p>The following characteristics form the basis of any granulating operation, regardless of the material.</p><h3>Particle Size Distribution</h3><p>Particle size distribution, or PSD, is highly influential in agglomeration. The distribution of particle sizes must be narrow enough to promote a uniform product, while diverse enough to exhibit some range within the allotted window, allowing smaller particles to fill in the spaces between larger ones.</p><p>The ideal particle size distribution for a given material to properly agglomerate varies. For limestone optimal PSD tends to fall within minus 250 micron.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-3295 size-full" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Reunion-process.webp" alt="" width="600" height="179" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Reunion-process.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Reunion-process-300x90.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p>This illustration shows how the right PSD allows smaller particles to fill in the spaces between larger particles during pellet formation.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-3296 size-full" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Raw-and-Pelletized-Limestone.webp" alt="" width="600" height="337" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Raw-and-Pelletized-Limestone.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Raw-and-Pelletized-Limestone-300x169.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Raw and Pelletized Limestone</em></p><h3>Particle Shape</h3><p>Similar to particle size distribution, particle shape also has ramifications on the granulating process, primarily on how particles fit together on a micro level and more specifically, the strength of the resulting agglomerates.</p><p>Granules with a lot of void spaces due to an irregular shape will be weak, while more rounded particles fit together better to promote a stronger agglomerate.</p><p>Not surprisingly, particle shape works hand-in-hand with particle size distribution to establish the matrix of how particles fit together.</p><p>Limestone particle shape varies depending on a range of factors, including natural formation and pretreatment methods.</p><p>Moisture Content</p><p>Moisture content is highly influential in the granulating process; too little moisture and particles do not have the strength to coalesce, while too much can turn the material into a cake or slurry.</p><p>Each and every material has a precise “window” of moisture content, within which it will optimally agglomerate. For limestone, the window for optimal agglomeration tends to fall within 5% to 15%.</p><p>As with particle size distribution, the need for a precise moisture content often requires some level of pretreatment. This may be in the form of a pre-drying step, or through backmixing – a technique in which dried material is mixed in (typically using a mixer) with the raw feedstock to reduce the overall moisture content of the mixture.</p><h3>Bulk Density</h3><p>Limestone typically has a bulk density in the range of 60 to 80 PCF, though again, this can vary. Bulk density is important to consider, because in general, the lower the bulk density of the feedstock, the lower the throughput the system will be able to achieve.</p><p>This is because most limestone producers are looking to reach a product with a specific bulk density, with a range similar to fertilizer products. The farther away from this target the feedstock falls, the longer it will take to reach that target density.</p><p>This is one reason why producers utilizing a disc granulator alone choose to incorporate a mixer; because the mixer achieves greater density very quickly through motion, production is increased.</p><h3>Limestone Composition</h3><p>As we’ve already mentioned, limestone can vary significantly in the physical properties it naturally exhibits. Likewise, limestone’s chemical composition can also vary significantly from one source to the next and even within the same deposit, creating an unending matrix of potential compositions and characteristics.</p><p>The different constituents found with limestone and the quantities at which they are present can make the granulating process extremely unpredictable. It is for this reason that process development work is still widely carried out when engineering a limestone granulating line, despite the technique being so well established in the industry. Two of the most commonly occurring constituents that affect the granulating process are clay and silica.</p><p>Clay is interesting in that it can actually assist the agglomeration process; as a natural binding agent, clay present in limestone can reduce the requirement for an alternative binder, depending on the type of clay and the quantity at which it is present. If the clay content is too high, however, it can inhibit or even prevent agglomeration, as the material begins to behave like a cake or slurry.</p><h3>Recycle</h3><p>Recycle is the amount of over- and under-size product a process yields. While recycle is not a characteristic of limestone, it is impacted by limestone’s characteristics and worth mentioning for that reason.</p><p>Some limestone, due to its unique combination of physical and chemical properties, is easily managed during the agglomeration process. In other words, operators are able to easily control pellet formation and growth by systematically adjusting process variables. Because of this, operators are better able to control the on-size yield, equating to less recycle.</p><p>In contrast, a limestone that is difficult to manage yields a higher recycle rate. Some amount of recycle is often desirable, as it gives operators a buffer in the event of an upset and also makes startup of the process easier. Too much recycle, however, is inefficient, resulting in a high amount of material reprocessing.</p><h3>Limestone Challenges</h3><p>In addition to the standard parameters that influence the granulating process, limestone also exhibits a number of material characteristics that can present challenges to those looking to convert their limestone into a granular product. Limestone’s potential for wide variation, its abrasive nature, and a tendency to clump and cause buildup, reinforce the need for early test work.</p><h2>Characteristics of Pelletized Limestone</h2><p>By managing the aforementioned characteristics, along with production conditions, limestone producers can refine their granulating process to yield a product that meets precise specifications. Producers are frequently looking to target some combination of the following, based on handling, performance, and appearance requirements:</p><ul><li>Bulk density (apparent and tapped)</li><li>Surface area to volume</li><li>Compression</li><li>Crush strength</li><li>Flowability</li><li>Green/Wet strength</li><li>Porosity</li><li>Attrition</li><li>Particle size distribution (PSD)</li><li>Moisture content</li><li>Solubility</li></ul><p>In fact, it is this particle engineering capability that continues to see pelletized limestone gain increased market share in the soil amendment industry and elsewhere; producers are able to hone in on particle characteristics to ensure their products meet market expectations in the form of:</p><ul><li>Product uniformity</li><li>Minimal dust (attrition)</li><li>Handling and performance characteristics</li><li>Storage potential and shelf life</li><li>Blending abilities</li><li>Appearance</li></ul>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/limestone-granulating-material-characteristics-to-consider.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Fertilizer Numbers – What Is NPK</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/fertilizer-numbers-what-is-npk.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/fertilizer-numbers-what-is-npk.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jan 2025 01:16:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[NPK]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Product Knowledge]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3285</guid> <description><![CDATA[Looking at fertilizers in the store, you’ll usually find a grouping of numbers on the label. The numbers are important, […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-3286 alignleft" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/npk-300x200.webp" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/npk-300x200.webp 300w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/npk.webp 600w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p>Looking at fertilizers in the store, you’ll usually find a grouping of numbers on the label. The numbers are important, and are required by law in most places. The numbers provide important information about what types of nutrients the fertilizer offers, and how much of each it contains.</p><h2>What Do the Numbers on Fertilizer Mean?</h2><p>Typically, there are three numbers on a fertilizer label separated by dashes, representing the percentage of N, P and K. What is NPK in fertilizer? Those three numbers correlate with the value of the three macro-nutrients used by plants: These macro-nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), or NPK for short. Understanding the meaning of NPK will help you make the right decision for your plants.</p><p>The numbers indicate the percentage of these three elements in the fertilizer. The higher the number, the more concentrated that nutrient is in the fertilizer. For example, numbers on fertilizer listed as 20-5-5 means it has four times more nitrogen in it than phosphorus and potassium.</p><p>Many plants require a balanced fertilizer. A balanced number of 20-20-20 indicates the fertilizer has the same concentration of all three, and twice as much concentration of one that has 10-10-10.</p><p><strong>NPK in Fertilizer</strong></p><p>Here’s a brief description for each of these 3 nutrients:</p><p>Nitrogen (N) – Nitrogen is largely responsible for rapid growth of green leaves.</p><p>Phosphorus (P) – Phosphorus is largely responsible for root growth, as well as flower and fruit development.</p><p>Potassium (K) – Potassium is a nutrient that helps the overall functions of the plant perform correctly and supports the plant’s vitality. (Note that potassium is usually provided in the form of potash, also known as K2O)</p><p>The fertilizer numbers’ percentages are calculated by weight. The remainder of NPK fertilizer ingredients are generally sand or ground limestone, and sometimes micronutrients. Occasionally you will also see another number added to the fertilizer numbers. That final number represents the amount of sulfur in the mix.</p><p>A fertilizer that contains only one macro-nutrient will have “0” in the other values. For example, if a fertilizer is 10-0-0, then it only contains nitrogen.</p><p>These fertilizer numbers, also referred to as NPK values, should appear on any fertilizer you purchase, whether it is an organic fertilizer or a chemical fertilizer.</p><h2>How to Choose the Right Fertilizer</h2><p>The NPK numbers on fertilizer are a way to provide the nutrients that may be missing in your soil, which is why the soil test is important as a first step. Your soil may have plenty of one and not enough of the others. If you get your soil tested by an extension service, you’ll know which numbers to look for when you buy fertilizer.</p><p>Many soils have sufficient phosphorus and potassium for plants, but not enough nitrogen. And plants do not use as much phosphorus as nitrogen and potassium. That means that choosing the right fertilizer may mean picking a fertilizer with a higher first number or three different numbers like 16-8-2.</p><p>Knowing the NPK values of a fertilizer will help you select one that’s appropriate for the type of plant you’re growing. For example, if you’re growing leafy vegetables, you may want to apply a fertilizer that has a higher nitrogen number to encourage leafy growth. If you’re growing flowers, you may want to apply a fertilizer that has a higher phosphorus number to encourage more blooms.</p><h2>How to Calculate for NPK Fertilizer</h2><p>The next step is to measure your soil and calculate the square footage using the formula length times width. Then purchase fertilizer for the area.</p><p>The fertilizer numbers can be used to calculate how much of a fertilizer needs to be applied to equal 1 pound (0.45 kg) of the nutrient you are trying to add to the soil. So, if the numbers on the fertilizer are 10-10-10, you can divide 100 by 10 and this will tell you that you need 10 pounds (4.5 kg.) of the fertilizer to add 1 pound (0.45 kg) of the nutrient to the soil. If the fertilizer numbers were 20-20-20, you divide 100 by 20 and you know that it will take 5 pounds (2.2 kg) of the fertilizer to add 1 pound (0.45 kg) of the nutrient to the soil.</p><h2>Applying Fertilizer</h2><p>Always apply fertilizer according to directions. It’s important to use the recommended rates or even less. Using too much fertilizer is never a good idea and can burn your plants.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/fertilizer-numbers-what-is-npk.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Potash Critical In Plant Stress Tolerance</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/potash-critical-in-plant-stress-tolerance.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/potash-critical-in-plant-stress-tolerance.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 24 Dec 2024 06:27:10 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Potash Fertilizer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Product Knowledge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[SOP]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3276</guid> <description><![CDATA[As a leader in potash fertilizer production equipment and systems, we understand the vital role potassium-bearing fertilizers bring to the overall […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As a leader in <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/industries-we-serve/chemical-fertilizer-phosphate-fertilizer-potash-fertilizer-processing.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>potash fertilizer production equipment and systems</strong></a>, we understand the vital role potassium-bearing fertilizers bring to the overall health and quality of plants. As it turns out, however, new research is revealing that potassium’s contribution to plant health is even more important than the industry initially thought; researchers are now finding that potassium also has a major influence on how plants tolerate stress.</p><p>This finding has prompted much excitement, as a solution is desperately needed at a time when biotic and abiotic stresses on plants continue to escalate. Some experts anticipate that potassium will be especially important in tolerance to drought – a growing concern amidst the uncertainties of climate change and dwindling water resources.</p><h2>Potash Production for Use as a Nutrient Input</h2><p>The term “potash” is used to describe salts that bear potassium. Originally, potash was produced via the burning of wood and leaching of the remaining ashes, hence the name <i>pot ash</i>.</p><p>Today, potash is principally mined from deposits created by the drying up of water bodies. Two factors in particular are critical to producing a quality potash product: drying and agglomeration.</p><h3>Drying</h3><p>Potash mining is typically carried out via a solution mining technique. As a result, upon extraction, the mineral requires drying in a <strong><a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/drum-dryer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rotary dryer</a></strong>. As a hygroscopic material (meaning it readily absorbs moisture from the air), keeping potash dry is important in reducing caking issues, and ensuring as little water content is transported as possible.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3277 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potash-Dryer-Testing.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potash-Dryer-Testing.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potash-Dryer-Testing-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Potash in a rotary dryer during testing in the EMCC Innovation Center</em></p><h3>Agglomeration</h3><p>Dried potash can be used in its raw form, but offers much better performance as an agglomerate or granular product. Therefore, either compaction granulation or pelletizing via tumble-growth agglomeration (<strong><a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/equipment.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wet granulation</a></strong>) is used to process the fines into a more easily handled and applied granule. Cooling potash prior to storage or transport is also frequently performed, as it helps to enhance granule integrity and reduce issues during storage.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3278 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potash-Before-and-After-Agglomeration.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potash-Before-and-After-Agglomeration.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potash-Before-and-After-Agglomeration-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Potash before (left) and after (right) wet granulation/pelletizing</em></p><h3>Alternative Sources of Potash Spur R&D</h3><p>Although there is certainly no shortage of potash, the Southern hemisphere and in particular, developing regions, struggle to economically meet potassium input demands; while the northern hemisphere is rich in potash resources, shipping them to the southern hemisphere is costly, and opening new potash mines in the southern hemisphere is not economically feasible. Combined with the increasingly important role of potash, producers are exploring alternative sources of the material.</p><p>Potash is most commonly in the form of potassium chloride, or KCl, but a variety of other compounds and potassium-bearing minerals exist. Among them:</p><ul class="list"><li>Polyhalite</li><li>Struvite</li><li>Silicate rocks</li><li>Langbeinite</li><li>Leonite</li><li>Granite dust</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/industries-we-serve/sop-production-line.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sulfate of Potash (SOP)</a></strong></li><li>Muriate of Potash (MOP)</li><li>Kelp Meal</li><li>Wood Ash</li><li>Green Sand</li><li>Potassium nitrate</li></ul><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3279 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potassium-Sulfate-SOP-granules.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potassium-Sulfate-SOP-granules.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Potassium-Sulfate-SOP-granules-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/industries-we-serve/sop-production-line.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Potassium Sulfate (SOP)</strong></a> granules</p><h2>Potash’s Role in Stress Tolerance</h2><p>In recent years, the agriculture industry has seen increasing pressure to maximize yields in an effort to keep up with the food demands of the exponentially growing population. While efforts have largely centered around nutrient management, minimizing the effects that stress has on crops is also essential in securing future food security.</p><p>Stress can cause effects ranging from poor crop quality, to limited yields, and even a loss of crop, so minimizing its effects are paramount to maximizing yields.</p><p>As it turns out, research has uncovered that potassium could be a valuable tool in combating stress on plants, making potash – the potassium-bearing mineral – ever more important.</p><h3>The Role of Potash in Tolerating Biotic Stress</h3><p>Biotic stressors, or stress delivered by living organisms such as pests, fungus, disease and the like, are wreaking havoc on crop production, a fact exemplified by the increasing reliance on chemical pesticides.</p><p>One study on crop protection found that global potential loss for crops from biotic stressors varied from less than 50% (for barley) to more than 80% (for cotton and sugar beets). Weeds were the greatest threat, posing a potential loss of 32%.</p><p>Numerous studies have shown that an adequate supply of potassium in plants can contribute significantly to biotic stress resistance.</p><p>In 1990, the International Potash Institute of Bern/Switzerland conducted an extensive survey on the effects of potassium on plant health. The survey reviewed existing data on the topic and concluded that potassium may impact tolerance to biotic stress on many levels, including:</p><ul><li style="list-style-type: none;"><ul><li>Development, survival, and multiplication of pest/disease</li><li>Severity of attack</li><li>Establishment and spread of pest/disease</li><li>The capability of the plant to repair and recover from biotic stress</li></ul></li></ul><p>Another study examined rice stem borers and found that when added in quantities of 50 or 60 kg/ha, potassium fertilizer significantly reduced the infestation rate of the rice borers and also resulted in an increased yield.</p><p>It is important to note that in some plants, or with certain stressors, an adequate supply of potassium can actually decrease stress tolerance. The IPI survey found that a beneficial effect was observed in 65% of cases, and a negative impact in 28% of cases, with negative responses most commonly related to nematodes and viruses.</p><h3>The Role of Potash in Tolerating Abiotic Stress</h3><p>Similarly, abiotic stress on crops has also been exacerbated in recent times as weather patterns change. Extreme temperatures, flooding, drought, and more, have become increasingly part of the ever-present agricultural struggle.</p><p>Potassium has been shown to promote tolerance of a wide variety of abiotic stressors. For example, the Potash Development Association (PDA) notes that potassium aids in frost tolerance because it increases the sugar content in plant cells, which reduces the potential for freezing.</p><p>According to the group, potassium also reduces the potential for lodging, or the bending of stalks, by increasing the strength and thickness of cell walls. Lodging reduces yield and can be caused by a number of different factors, including rain, wind and hail.</p><h4>Drought Tolerance</h4><p>Perhaps the most challenging abiotic stressors growers are likely to face are increasing aridity and drought conditions. It is well established that dry areas around the world are becoming more dry and are also expanding, resulting in a growing crisis of inadequate water resources for crops.</p><p>Drought is an especially devastating abiotic stressor, with the potential to prevent germination, damage overall crop health, and substantially reduce yields. It can also cause long-term damage to soil.</p><p>Potassium plays a key role in how a plant manages water and as such, is being examined for use in helping plants to tolerate drought conditions.</p><p>According to the Potash Development Association, potassium serves as the regulator for the opening and closing of stomata, which, among other things, controls the release of water vapor in plants. In times of water shortage, the plant stomata closes in order to conserve water. If the plant is deficient in potassium, however, the stomata cannot function as quickly, causing a loss of water vapor and potential for an increased susceptibility to drought.</p><p>In some cases, the addition of potash has even shown to be more beneficial than adding more water.</p><p>Potassium has also been shown to help water-logged cotton plants recover from flooding, exhibiting significant improvements. This same study also showed that the addition of potassium greatly improved the plants’ nutrient uptake abilities.</p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>Potash has long been an essential tool in crop production, but recent research confirms that its role is even more critical than previously thought. Potash’s role in helping plants to tolerate biotic and abiotic stressors, particularly drought, is likely to be crucial in meeting future food security demands. Furthermore, the increasing importance of potash, combined with logistical challenges, has producers looking to bring less-traditional potash products to market, with research and development around these resources on the rise.</p><p>EMCC has been providing batch and pilot, custom agglomeration and drying equipment, as well as parts and service support to the potash industry for over 10 years. Our extensive experience with potash allows us to work with all forms of nutrients, both traditional and new, to produce the best processing solutions and equipment to achieve the desired end product results. To learn more about our potash capabilities, <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/contact-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>contact us today</strong></a>!</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/potash-critical-in-plant-stress-tolerance.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>DIRECT VS. INDIRECT DRYING</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/direct-vs-indirect-drying.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/direct-vs-indirect-drying.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 20 Dec 2024 05:34:23 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Product Knowledge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rotary Drum Dryer]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3269</guid> <description><![CDATA[Direct dryers are used more frequently than their indirect counterparts, because of the efficiency they offer. And while direct rotary […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Direct dryers are used more frequently than their indirect counterparts, because of the efficiency they offer. And while direct rotary dryers are most often the selected drying method, indirect rotary dryers are a valuable alternative for specific processing requirements.</p><h2>OPERATION</h2><p>While both types of <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/drum-dryer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>dryers</strong></a> are comprised of a rotating drum in which the processing occurs, these two types of dryers utilize very different methods to process the material.</p><p>Direct dryers rely on direct contact between the material and drying air to efficiently dry materials. Efficiency is further increased by the addition of lifting flights affixed to the internal walls of the dryer. Conversely, indirect dryers do not utilize direct contact with the drying air to reduce the material’s moisture content. In fact, this is the precise advantage of an indirect rotary dryer; indirect drying allows you to tightly control the processing environment—an ideal characteristic when working with materials that can be combustible in certain settings.</p><p>Indirect dryers rely on the heat transferred through the drum’s shell to dry the material via conduction and radiation. Subsequently, indirect dryers would not benefit from the addition of lifting flights, and instead utilize tumbling flights, which aid in material rotation and help to ensure process consistency.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3270 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Indirect-rotary-dryer.webp" alt="" width="600" height="507" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Indirect-rotary-dryer.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Indirect-rotary-dryer-300x254.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p>Indirect <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/drum-dryer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>rotary dryers</strong></a> also require an internal flow, referred to as sweep air. Sweep air carries the evaporated moisture, along with dust particles from inside the dryer, to the exhaust system at the discharge breeching. This process ensures that the material is being dried to the required moisture percentage.</p><p>Furthermore, because the furnace exhaust is kept separate from the drying air, indirect dryers have the added benefit of requiring less exit gas treatment. This exit gas can be used to pre-heat the combustion air and increase burner efficiency.</p><h2>MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION</h2><p>Unlike their direct counterparts, which are typically constructed of carbon steel, indirect rotary dryers are constructed using a high-temperature alloy, in order to maintain the integrity of the drum, despite the constant exposure to high temperatures that the shell must endure.</p><h2>INDUSTRIAL USE/ APPLICATIONS</h2><p>Direct rotary dryers account for most of the bulk solids drying applications,and are used throughout a multitude of industries, including agriculture, mining, specialty chemicals, and more. They offer heavy-duty processing and consistent reliability.</p><p>Indirect rotary dryers are better suited for niche applications, and are ideal for processing dusty fine materials, or materials that cannot be exposed to drying air during processing. This is commonly seen with highly combustible materials, organics such as grains and pulps, and fine materials such as pigments.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/direct-vs-indirect-drying.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The Bulk Solids Insider: Lithium’s Price Plummet, The Growing Phosphate Fertilizer Market, and Red Sea Shipping Challenges</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/the-bulk-solids-insider-lithiums-price-plummet-the-growing-phosphate-fertilizer-market-and-red-sea-shipping-challenges.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/the-bulk-solids-insider-lithiums-price-plummet-the-growing-phosphate-fertilizer-market-and-red-sea-shipping-challenges.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:08:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3259</guid> <description><![CDATA[Updates in Mining & Minerals Canada Grants Nunavut Control Over Mineral Resources The Arctic territory of Nunavut was granted control […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 class="gb-headline gb-headline-bd766939 gb-headline-text">Updates in Mining & Minerals</h2><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3260" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Canada-Grants-Nunavut-Control-Over-Mineral-Resources.webp" alt="" width="600" height="375" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Canada-Grants-Nunavut-Control-Over-Mineral-Resources.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Canada-Grants-Nunavut-Control-Over-Mineral-Resources-300x188.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Canada Grants Nunavut Control Over Mineral Resources</strong></p><p>The Arctic territory of Nunavut was granted control over its mineral resources by the Canadian government in a devolution that has been years in the making. The territory, rich in critical minerals and other resources, will now be able to collect royalties that would otherwise have gone to the federal government. Despite challenges in the region, the move could help to bolster exploration and development, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/canada-give-mineral-rich-arctic-region-nunavut-control-over-its-resources-2024-01-18/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3261" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Wyoming-Trona-Ore-Industry.webp" alt="" width="600" height="375" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Wyoming-Trona-Ore-Industry.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Wyoming-Trona-Ore-Industry-300x188.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Future of Wyoming’s Trona Industry Uncertain</strong></p><p>All eyes in the soda ash industry continue to be on the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed Rock Springs Resource Management Plan (RMP), public comment for which was closed January 17th. The RMP will have a number of implications for natural resources and land use, including trona mining, in 3.6 million acres of public land. Resource developers, which mine trona ore for the production of soda ash, are worried limitations on development could kill the industry, according to a <a href="https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/01/17/wyoming-trona-miners-dig-in-against-blm-management-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wyoming news source</a>.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3241" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-Online-Tool-from-ACC.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-Online-Tool-from-ACC.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-Online-Tool-from-ACC-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Uranium Prices Up</strong></p><p>Uranium prices recently hit a high they haven’t seen in over 16 years, with potentially further to climb, after Kazatomprom, the world’s largest producer, announced potential supply risks, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/supply-risks-fuel-uraniums-flight-more-than-16-year-peak-2024-01-22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters reports</a>.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3262" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lithium-Price-Plummets.webp" alt="" width="600" height="375" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lithium-Price-Plummets.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lithium-Price-Plummets-300x188.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Lithium Price Plummets</strong></p><p>Lithium miners are putting the breaks on expansion efforts and looking to cut costs as demand for electric vehicles in China has declined. The price of lithium has dropped by more than 80 per cent in the past year, hitting a low not seen since 2020, according to <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0fb27a1a-d149-4d66-87cf-a1e3feecb5e5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Financial Times</a>.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3263" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Copper-Deficit.webp" alt="" width="600" height="375" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Copper-Deficit.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Copper-Deficit-300x188.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>A Copper Deficit</strong></p><p>Meanwhile, the copper industry is in the opposite position with a supply deficit. <a href="https://www.mining.com/copper-market-a-powder-keg-ready-to-explode-says-friedland/?utm_source=Copper_Digest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MNG-DIGESTS&utm_content=copper-market-a-powder-keg-ready-to-explode-says-friedland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mining.com</a> reported on a Bloomberg interview with copper mining executive, Robert Friedland, with Friedland noting that while prices aren’t in the realm of incentivizing new mines yet, he sees the industry as ready to explode.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Updates in Fertilizer</h2><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3264" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Phosphate-Fertilizer-Market-Sees-Growthjpg.webp" alt="" width="600" height="375" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Phosphate-Fertilizer-Market-Sees-Growthjpg.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Phosphate-Fertilizer-Market-Sees-Growthjpg-300x188.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Phosphate Fertilizer Market Seeing Growth</strong></p><p>The global phosphate fertilizer market is expected to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3%, going from a valuation of $54.6 billion USD in 2023 to $78.4 billion USD in 2030, according to <a href="https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/phosphate-fertilizers-market.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new market data</a>. Growth is owed largely to the rising focus on sustainable agriculture and the need to feed a growing population.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3240" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Improvements-in-Zinc-Nutrient-Use-Efficiency.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Improvements-in-Zinc-Nutrient-Use-Efficiency.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Improvements-in-Zinc-Nutrient-Use-Efficiency-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Farm Credit Canada Encouraging 4R Nutrient Stewardship</strong></p><p>Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, <a href="https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/about-fcc/media-centre/news-releases/2024/program-launch-4r-nutrient-stewardship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Farm Credit Canada</a>, has announced a program that will incentivize its customers to follow Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship program through farm management software <em>AgExpert</em>. The program will officially open in May 2024.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3238" style="font-weight: inherit;" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/India-to-Stop-Urea-Imports-in-Favor-of-Domestic-Green-Production.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/India-to-Stop-Urea-Imports-in-Favor-of-Domestic-Green-Production.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/India-to-Stop-Urea-Imports-in-Favor-of-Domestic-Green-Production-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Renewable Energy & Domestic Fertilizer Production Projects Get a Boost</strong></p><p>U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsackk <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/01/22/biden-harris-administration-invests-207-million-clean-energy-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the award of $207 million toward renewable energy and domestic fertilizer projects through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP). The awards cover projects in 42 states.</p><h2 class="gb-headline gb-headline-e157a4f0 gb-headline-text">Updates in Chemical</h2><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3265" style="font-weight: inherit;" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/EPA-PFAS-Rule.webp" alt="" width="600" height="375" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/EPA-PFAS-Rule.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/EPA-PFAS-Rule-300x188.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>EP</strong><strong style="font-size: 16px;">A Will Req</strong><strong style="font-size: 16px;">uire Fo</strong><strong style="font-size: 16px;">rm</strong><strong style="font-size: 16px;">al Review of Inactiv</strong><strong style="font-size: 16px;">e PFAS</strong></p><p>The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-rule-prevent-inactive-pfas-reentering-commerce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EPA</a> finalized a rule that will require a formal review by the agency regarding the new or restarted production of 329 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that haven’t been made or used for many years (known as “inactive PFAS”). The rule falls under the larger umbrella of EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3266" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chemical-Industry-Impacted-By-Red-Sea-Shipping.webp" alt="" width="600" height="375" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chemical-Industry-Impacted-By-Red-Sea-Shipping.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chemical-Industry-Impacted-By-Red-Sea-Shipping-300x188.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Chemical Industry Impacted by Red Sea Attacks</strong></p><p>Ongoing attacks in the Red Sea are disrupting supply chains for the chemical industry, <a href="https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/red-sea-shipping-attacks-are-impacting-the-chemical-industry/4018832.article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chemistry World</a> reports. Route diversions are resulting in longer shipping times and higher costs, with ripple effects throughout the market.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/the-bulk-solids-insider-lithiums-price-plummet-the-growing-phosphate-fertilizer-market-and-red-sea-shipping-challenges.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>PELLETIZING VS. COMPACTION GRANULATION</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/pelletizing-vs-compaction-granulation.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/pelletizing-vs-compaction-granulation.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:46:16 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Product Knowledge]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3255</guid> <description><![CDATA[When it comes to agglomerating material fines, compaction granulation and pelletization are often both investigated. Both methods are an effective […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3256 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PELLETIZING-VS.-COMPACTION-GRANULATION-1.webp" alt="" width="600" height="221" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PELLETIZING-VS.-COMPACTION-GRANULATION-1.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PELLETIZING-VS.-COMPACTION-GRANULATION-1-300x111.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p>When it comes to agglomerating material fines, compaction granulation and pelletization are often both investigated. Both methods are an effective solution, but each has distinct advantages and disadvantages. And while operating and capital costs are often the deciding factor between the two, there are many things to consider when choosing which method best suits your material and processing needs. Additionally, some materials may respond well to only one of these methods, making the choice clear. Other materials, however, will respond well to both (such as bentonite, coal, humate, potash, urea, and others) and will require further consideration.</p><h2>ADVANTAGES TO PELLETIZING</h2><h3>FASTER NUTRIENT DELIVERY</h3><p>Because pellets are not created through pressure, they are less dense than their compaction granule counterparts. The less dense pellets created in pelletizing can withstand handling, but can still quickly break down upon application, an ideal characteristic for soil amendments, fertilizers, and other applications that benefit from fast material breakdown.</p><h3>LESS DUST AND FINES</h3><p>Compared to compaction granules, pellets produce less fines; since pellets are round, there are no edges to break off and create dust.</p><h3>BINDERS CAN SERVE AS BENEFICIAL ADDITIVES</h3><p>Pelletization offers the opportunity to control formulation through the addition of specially-formulated binders, in order to create optimum pellet characteristics.</p><h3>LOWER CAPITAL COSTS</h3><p>The pelletizing method often requires a lower capital investment than compaction granulation.</p><h3>A PREMIUM PRODUCT IS PRODUCED</h3><p>The round, smooth pellets produced in the pelletizing process are considered a premium product.</p><p>Additionally, the pelletizing process offers the opportunity to include additives to further customize and enhance the end product.</p><h2>DISADVANTAGES TO PELLETIZING</h2><h3>HIGHER PROCESSING COSTS</h3><p>The use of a binder, and the required drying step results in higher processing costs when compared to compaction granulation.</p><h2>ADVANTAGES TO COMPACTION GRANULATION:</h2><h3>LOWER PROCESSING COSTS</h3><p>Processing costs are usually lower compared to pelletizing, because a binder and drying step are not typically needed.</p><h2>DISADVANTAGES TO COMPACTION GRANULATION</h2><h3>ATTRITION</h3><p>Attrition is the breakdown of granule edges into material fines and dust. This is common with compaction granules because of the rough, jagged edges. As mentioned, however, there are methods to aid in reducing attrition, but they can increase production costs.</p><p>Sometimes, it’s also sufficient to simply condition or micro pelletize material in a pin mixer or pugmill mixer, instead of pelletizing or granulating it. This is common for applications where the material only needs to be de-dusted, such as in cases where transportation to landfill is made difficult because of a dusty product.</p><p>Oftentimes, it is not clear which method of agglomeration will produce the desired results, and in these cases, testing may be required.</p><h2>TABLE: HOW PELLETIZING AND COMPACTION COMPARE</h2><p>The chart below provides a summary of the differences between pelletizing and compaction granulation.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3257 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PELLETIZING-VS.-COMPACTION-GRANULATION-2.webp" alt="" width="600" height="133" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PELLETIZING-VS.-COMPACTION-GRANULATION-2.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PELLETIZING-VS.-COMPACTION-GRANULATION-2-300x67.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/pelletizing-vs-compaction-granulation.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>A Global Food Crisis</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/a-global-food-crisis.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/a-global-food-crisis.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 06 Dec 2024 03:22:25 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3249</guid> <description><![CDATA[The scale of the current global hunger and malnutrition crisis is enormous. A total of 1.9 million people are in […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The scale of the current global hunger and malnutrition crisis is enormous. A total of <strong>1.9 million people are in the grips of catastrophic hunger</strong> – primarily in Gaza and Sudan but also in pockets of South Sudan, Haiti and Mali. They are teetering on the brink of famine.<strong> In Zamzam camp in northern Sudan, famine has been confirmed</strong>. Many food crises involve multiple overlapping issues that are building year on year.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3250 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Global-Food-Crisis-1.webp" alt="" width="600" height="338" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Global-Food-Crisis-1.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Global-Food-Crisis-1-300x169.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><h2>What are the main causes of the global food crisis?</h2><h3>Conflict</h3><p>A total 65 percent of the 343 million people facing acute hunger are in fragile or conflict-hit countries. Violence and instability in the Middle East, East, Central and West Africa as well as in the Caribbean, southern Asia and Eastern Europe are particularly concerning. Conflict disrupts food production, forces people from their homes and sources of income, and often hinders humanitarian access to people in most need.</p><h3>Climate</h3><p>The climate crisis is one of the leading causes of the steep rise in global hunger. Climate shocks destroy lives, crops and livelihoods, and undermine people’s ability to feed themselves. Hunger will spiral out of control if the world fails to take immediate climate action.</p><h3>Economy</h3><p>Sluggish global growth and economic stressors, linked to slow pandemic recovery and fallout from the war in Ukraine, continue to affect low and middle-income countries. This limits investment in social protection programmes, at a time when food prices remain at crisis levels.</p><h3>Displacement</h3><p>Forcibly displaced people face specific vulnerabilities in relation to food insecurity including limited access to employment, livelihoods, food and shelter, and reliance on dwindling humanitarian assistance.</p><h2>How can we end the global food crisis?</h2><p>A coordinated effort across governments, financial institutions, the private sector and partners is the only way to end the global food crisis. In countries such as Somalia, the international community came together and managed to pull people back from the brink of famine in 2022.</p><p>Political and diplomatic solutions are needed to strengthen peace building efforts and ensure safe and unrestricted access across borders and conflict lines – to save lives and prevent the hunger catastrophe spreading even further.</p><p>But it is not sufficient to solely keep people alive. We must go further, and this can only be achieved by addressing the underlying causes of hunger. <strong>Need to build resilience, adapt to climate change, promote good nutrition and improve food systems lays the foundations of a more prosperous future for millions</strong>.</p><p>In just four years, turned 158,000 hectares of barren fields in the Sahel region of five African countries into farm and grazing land. The climate-insurance programme – the R4 Rural Resilience initiative – had benefited nearly 550,000 vulnerable households and families in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean by 2023. At the same time, WFP is working with governments in 83 countries to boost or build national safety nets and nutrition-sensitive social protection, allowing us to reach more people with emergency food assistance.</p><h2>Lack of funding and access risks a heavy cost</h2><p>Severe funding shortfalls are forcing WFP to <strong>scale back assistance and refocus efforts on the most severe needs</strong>. With persistent access constraints also hampering support, some of the most vulnerable people are being left behind.</p><p>Unless resources are made available and unrestricted access granted, <strong>lost lives and the reversal of hard-earned development gains will be the price to pay</strong>.</p><h2>2025 will be a year of unrelenting crises</h2><p>Acute hunger is on the rise again, affecting 343 million people in 74 countries.</p><p>The operational requirement for 2025 is US$16.9 billion, which would allow to reach 123 million of the most vulnerable food-insecure people globally.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3251 aligncenter" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Global-Food-Crisis-2.webp" alt="" width="600" height="338" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Global-Food-Crisis-2.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/A-Global-Food-Crisis-2-300x169.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/a-global-food-crisis.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Co-Current Vs. Counter Current Drying</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/co-current-vs-counter-current-drying.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/co-current-vs-counter-current-drying.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:15:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Product Knowledge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rotary Drum Dryer]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3244</guid> <description><![CDATA[Many factors are taken into consideration when designing a rotary drum dryer that can both efficiently and effectively dry a material. Factors […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-2540 alignleft" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Drum-Dryer5-300x169.webp" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Drum-Dryer5-300x169.webp 300w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Drum-Dryer5-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Drum-Dryer5-768x432.webp 768w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Drum-Dryer5.webp 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Many factors are taken into consideration when designing a <strong><a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/drum-dryer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rotary drum dryer</a></strong> that can both efficiently and effectively dry a material. Factors such as the material’s bulk density, heat sensitivity, particle size, and flowability, among others, all interact to influence how the material will behave in the dryer, and subsequently, how the dryer should be designed to optimally work with those characteristics. One critical factor in designing a rotary dryer that produces the desired end product characteristics is the air flow configuration, or the direction in which the process gas flows through the dryer in relation to the material.</p><p>Rotary dryers are available in two types of air-flow configurations: co-current and counter current. Both options have been developed through extensive research and development in order to maximize the thermal efficiency of the rotary drying process. The selection of which configuration will best suit the process is based on the material’s properties, as well as overall process requirements, making it important to understand how each air-flow configuration works in order to fully grasp which type will best suit the drying process at hand.</p><p>Below is an overview on the advantages and disadvantages of these two types of rotary drum dryer designs.</p><h2>The Co-Current Rotary Dryer</h2><p><b>Best for:</b> Materials that are heat-sensitive, maintaining product quality (NOTE: 90% of all rotary dryers are co-current for these reasons)</p><p><b>Key Advantages:</b> Greater control over solids temperature and avoidance of overheating</p><p><b>Disadvantages:</b> Slightly less thermally efficient than counter-current air flow</p><p>Co-current or parallel flow drying occurs when the drying air flows in the same direction as the material, or rather, when the material and process gas enter the dryer at the same end of the drum, as shown in the illustration below.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3245 size-full" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Co-Curernt-Dryer.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="217" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Co-Curernt-Dryer.jpg 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Co-Curernt-Dryer-300x109.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><em>Co-curernt dryer（drier）</em></p><h2>Advantages of the Co-Current Rotary Dryer</h2><p>As mentioned, the majority of rotary drum dryers utilize the co-current air flow design. This configuration is chosen for several reasons:</p><h3>Rapid Removal of Free Moisture</h3><p>By introducing the solids and process gas in the same location, the process gas contacts the material in its wettest state, resulting in a quick initial reduction of surface moisture. Because of this fast initial drying, co-current dryers work best with materials that have high surface/free moisture such as glass. The lower surface moisture at the inlet of the drum also promotes improved flowability of the material through the drum, as the solids are less likely to stick as they tumble and cascade.</p><h3>Ideal for Heat-Sensitive Materials</h3><p>The co-current dryer is ideal for drying heat-sensitive materials. When a material is heat-sensitive, overheating can result in unwanted reactions, undesirable color changes in product, product degradation, or even a risk of fire. By utilizing a co-current configuration with heat-sensitive materials, it is much easier to prevent overheating, because the hottest gases are in contact with the wettest material and the temperature of the solids instead decreases as it moves through the dryer, preventing the potential for overheating.</p><h3>Control Over Solids Temperature</h3><p>Because the solids temperature correlates directly with the process gas temperature, the co-current design makes controlling the temperature of the dried material much easier. This is ideal for heat-sensitive materials that must be kept below a certain temperature threshold during the drying process.</p><h3>Improved Dryer Longevity</h3><p>The introduction of the material and process gas at the same location of the dryer causes a rapid initial cooling of the process gas, causing the dryer shell to run at a cooler surface temperature. This lower temperature reduces stress on the drum shell, promoting a longer life.</p><h2>Disadvantages of the Co-Current Rotary Dryer</h2><h3>Higher Exhaust Gas Temperatures</h3><p>The primary disadvantage of the co-current design is that it is slightly less thermally efficient, because the exhaust gas can never be cooler than the temperature of the solids, requiring more energy to be spent on keeping the exhaust temperature up. The need to ensure that the exhaust gas exceeds the temperature of the solids therefore results in wasted energy and slightly greater fuel consumption.</p><h2>The Counter Current Rotary Dryer</h2><p><b>Best for:</b> Materials with bound moisture, or that require heating to a higher temperature</p><p><b>Key Advantage:</b> More efficient</p><p><b>Disadvantages:</b> Less control over solids temperature, greater potential for overheating</p><p>Counter-current drying occurs when the gas and material flow in opposing directions (i.e., the material is fed into one end of the drum, while the process gas is fed into the other end of the drum, as shown in the illustration below).</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3246" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Counter-Current-Dryer.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="217" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Counter-Current-Dryer.jpg 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Counter-Current-Dryer-300x109.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><em>Counter current dryer（drier）</em></p><h2>Advantages of the Counter-Current Rotary Dryer</h2><p>The counter-current air flow design offers several advantages:</p><h3>Gradual Removal of Moisture</h3><p>Because the material comes in contact with the hottest process gas at its most dehydrated state, the counter-current configuration is ideal for materials with bound moisture. Bound moisture is typically not affected by the initial “flash-off” of free moisture, instead requiring more gradual heating to draw out moisture from within the material.</p><h3>High Heat Capabilities</h3><p>Similarly, materials that require high temperatures to release their moisture are also best served in a counter-current rotary dryer, since the solids are coming into contact with the hottest gases toward the end of the drying process.</p><h3>Greater Thermal Efficiency (Lower Exhaust Gas Temperatures)</h3><p>Counter-current dryers are often chosen for their efficiency, because more heat is spent on drying the solids than ensuring the exhaust gas temperature remains high. In other words, because counter-current dryers can tolerate gas temperatures lower than the solids, less fuel is required and excess energy is not wasted in the exhaust gas.</p><p>It’s important to note that the exhaust gas temperature must always be above the dew point. The potential for the exhaust gas temperature to reach the dew point is greater with a counter-current configuration and must be carefully managed; if the temperature were allowed to reach the dew point, condensation could occur in the ductwork and baghouse, clogging up the system. This is especially likely if the ductwork is not insulated.</p><h2>Disadvantages of the Counter-Current Rotary Dryer</h2><h3>Less Control Over Solids Temperature</h3><p>While a direct relationship exists between the material and process gas in the co-current design, the opposing flow of the solids and gas employed in the counter-current configuration makes it more difficult to control the temperature of the solids.</p><h3>Risk of Overheating</h3><p>Because the solids come into contact with the hottest gas in their driest state, the counter-current air flow also makes it easier to overheat the material.</p><p>If the inlet gas temperatures need to be lower to avoid overheating the material, additional fuel will be required, because more air which needs to be heated will be required, which can cut into the initial energy savings.</p><h2>Other Considerations with Air Flow</h2><p>While not directly related to the chosen configuration, there are a few other air flow considerations that should be kept in mind during the design process:</p><h3>Whether or Not to Use a Combustion Chamber</h3><p>Combustion chambers are often employed with direct rotary dryers in order to prevent contact between the burner flame and the material being processed. This is advantageous when working with heat-sensitive materials, or materials that might form undesirable compounds if exposed to the additional radiation of a flame.</p><h3>Exhaust Gas Recycling</h3><p>When using a combustion chamber, the secondary air can sometimes be provided via recycled exhaust gas from the dryer. Since this air is already preheated, a savings in fuel can be achieved if designed properly.</p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>Understanding how each dryer configuration works is an important factor in designing the most efficient rotary dryer, and each configuration has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. EMCC encourages each material to undergo a research and development process at our on-site concept testing facility, the EMCC Innovation Center. The information gained through our proven testing procedures allows us to design the most efficient and beneficial drying system for our customers’ material needs. For more information on co-current or counter-current drying, <a href="https://www.emccindustry.com/contact-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>contact us today</strong></a>!</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/co-current-vs-counter-current-drying.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The Bulk Solids Insider: Copper From Algae, Improvements in Zinc Nutrient Use Efficiency, and Extracting Value From Wastewater</title> <link>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/the-bulk-solids-insider-copper-from-algae-improvements-in-zinc-nutrient-use-efficiency-and-extracting-value-from-wastewater.html</link> <comments>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/the-bulk-solids-insider-copper-from-algae-improvements-in-zinc-nutrient-use-efficiency-and-extracting-value-from-wastewater.html#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 04 Dec 2024 07:04:12 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.emccindustry.com/?p=3233</guid> <description><![CDATA[Updates in Mining Chinese Copper Smelters to Lower Output Chinese copper smelters are expected to reduce production or extend maintenance […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Updates in Mining</h2><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3234" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chinese-Copper-Smeltes-to-Lower-Output.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chinese-Copper-Smeltes-to-Lower-Output.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chinese-Copper-Smeltes-to-Lower-Output-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><strong>Chinese Copper Smelters to Lower Output</strong></p><p>Chinese copper smelters are expected to reduce production or extend maintenance in 2025 to cope with a major shortage of copper concentrate, according to Mining Weekly. The anticipated one million metric ton shortage is the result of global mine disruptions and rising smelter capacity and could see China’s copper smelting to drop to as low as 75% usage capacity.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3235" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Critical-Mineral-Shortages-Stifling-Energy-Transition.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Critical-Mineral-Shortages-Stifling-Energy-Transition.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Critical-Mineral-Shortages-Stifling-Energy-Transition-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>Critical Mineral Shortages Stifling Energy Transition</b></p><p>Challenges in getting critical minerals are putting the global energy transition at risk according to new research from <a href="https://www.miningweekly.com/article/challenges-in-critical-minerals-supply-threaten-global-energy-transitions-2024-11-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GlobalData</a>. Mineral depletion, resource distribution, geopolitical tensions, and other factors are creating roadblocks in the face of unprecedented demand and hampering energy transition efforts.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3236" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/China-Adds-to-Gold-Reserves.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/China-Adds-to-Gold-Reserves.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/China-Adds-to-Gold-Reserves-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>China Adds to Gold Reserves</b></p><p>China has found gold reserves in Hunan worth nearly $83 billion, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/china-finds-83-billion-worth-gold-reserves-hunan-2024-11-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> reports. Hunan Academy of Geology unearthed more than 40 gold ore veins in Pingjiang county, with the highest grade reaching 138 grams per metric ton.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3237" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Copper-from-Algae.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Copper-from-Algae.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Copper-from-Algae-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>Copper From Algae</b></p><p><a href="https://magazine.cim.org/en/news/2024/copper-in-bloom-en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CIM Magazine</a> is reporting on exciting research out of Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, where researchers are collaborating with copper extraction company Destiny Copper to study the extraction of copper from algal blooms in Lake Erie. The group is trialing various extraction methods, both physical and chemical. While the work is still in the early stages, researchers are hoping they can develop a viable source of copper for industry and expand the same approach to other metals.</p><h2>Updates in Fertilizer</h2><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3238" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/India-to-Stop-Urea-Imports-in-Favor-of-Domestic-Green-Production.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/India-to-Stop-Urea-Imports-in-Favor-of-Domestic-Green-Production.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/India-to-Stop-Urea-Imports-in-Favor-of-Domestic-Green-Production-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>India to Stop Urea Imports in Favor of Domestic Green Production</b></p><p>India’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizer wants to build sustainable domestic production of urea, with a goal of ending urea imports by 2025. While domestic production is already in place, plans involve producing green urea through the capture of CO2 emissions from high-emission industries, generating hydrogen through sustainably powered water electrolysis, and extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere for significant carbon emissions reduction. <a href="https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20241106-india-aims-to-halt-urea-imports-by-2025-with-a-shift-to-green-production/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Read more from Fertilizer Daily >></i></a></p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3239" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Canada-Invests-in-Sustainable-Agriculture.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Canada-Invests-in-Sustainable-Agriculture.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Canada-Invests-in-Sustainable-Agriculture-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>Canada Invests in Sustainable Agriculture</b></p><p>Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced over C$7.2 million in funding for projects aimed at advancing sustainable agriculture technology, according to <a href="https://www.worldfertilizer.com/project-news/26112024/minister-of-agriculture-and-agri-food-in-canada-announces-funding-for-innovations-in-sustainable-agricultural-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Fertilizer</a>. Four projects will receive funding through the AgriInnovate Program, one of which will see Canada’s first large-scale potassium sulfate (SOP) production plants.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3240" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Improvements-in-Zinc-Nutrient-Use-Efficiency.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Improvements-in-Zinc-Nutrient-Use-Efficiency.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Improvements-in-Zinc-Nutrient-Use-Efficiency-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>Improvements in Zinc Nutrient Use Efficiency</b></p><p>Global zinc deficiency in soils could get some help from research coming out of the University of Adelaide. Researchers used the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Light Source facility to illustrate how zinc solubility and availability could be improved by lowering the pH of fertilizer. Further, researchers developed a coating to enhance zinc’s uptake by separating it from the phosphate component. <a href="https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20241125-research-shows-that-lowering-fertilizer-ph-can-increase-solubility-and-availability-of-zinc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Read more from Fertilizer Daily >></i></a></p><h2>Updates in Chemical</h2><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3241" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-Online-Tool-from-ACC.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-Online-Tool-from-ACC.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-Online-Tool-from-ACC-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>New Online Tool from ACC</b></p><p><a href="https://www.americanchemistry.com/chemistry-in-america/data-industry-statistics/economic-elements-of-chemistry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The American Chemistry Council (ACC)</a> has developed a new online tool to replace their annually printed <i>Guide to the Business of Chemistry</i>. The <i>Economic Elements of Chemistry</i> (EEC) demonstrates how the chemical industry supports American growth and economic leadership, providing details on everything from jobs to innovation, and so much more.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3242" src="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DOE-Funds-Extracting-Value-from-Wastewater.webp" alt="" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DOE-Funds-Extracting-Value-from-Wastewater.webp 600w, https://www.emccindustry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DOE-Funds-Extracting-Value-from-Wastewater-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p><p><b>DOE Funds Extracting Value from Wastewater</b></p><p>In another effort to secure a domestic supply of critical minerals, the <a href="https://arpa-e.energy.gov/news-and-media/press-releases/us-department-energy-announces-36-million-unlock-critical-resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy</a> (ARPA-E) has announced $36 million in funding to extract critical metals and high energy-value materials such as ammonia from wastewater. The RECOVER (Realize Energy-rich Compound Opportunities Valorizing Extraction from Refuse waters) program is aimed at utilizing the value currently locked up in the nation’s vast amounts of wastewater.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.emccindustry.com/blog/the-bulk-solids-insider-copper-from-algae-improvements-in-zinc-nutrient-use-efficiency-and-extracting-value-from-wastewater.html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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