On its way to set up a sulphate of potash and industrial grade salt plant in Kutch, Archean Chemical Industries Pvt. Ltd. is likely to commission the same soon. Being set up at an initial investment of Rs 600 crore, the sulphate of potash plant, a major fertilizer input, will carry a capacity of 100,000 tonnes.
"While the main intention of setting up the plant is to produce sulphate of potash, the plant will also result in industrial grade or IP grade salt as a pre-product. The Gujarat government has allotted us around 60,000 acres for the plant in the Greater Rann of Kutch," stated a company official on conditions of anonymity.
Initially, the company, part of the Chennai-based Archean Group, will commission the plant for 100,000 tonnes of sulphate of potash by early next year.
However, the company will later on scale it up to 300,000 tonnes in the second phase, the official further stated.Apparently, the second and final phase , will entail an additional investment of Rs 600 crore and will cover an extra 40,000 acres.
Apart from the sodium of potash that will be used as fertilizer input, the plant will result in industrial grade salt as a pre-product which will be utilised for edible salt. apart from other industries like oil, chemical, metallurgy, textile and water treatment. Moreover, the IP grade salt will also have applications in the pharmaceutical industry. "The industrial grade salt, which will be a pre-product before the plant goes on to manufacture sulphate of potash, will also have huge export potential once the plant commissions," the official further stated.