sylvinite

{{Short description|Sedimentary rock made of a mechanical mixture of sylvite and halite}}

{{For|the gold-silver-tellurium mineral|Sylvanite}}

File:Sylvinite.jpg, Russia]]

File:Sylvinite detail.jpg

Sylvinite is a sedimentary rock made of a mechanical mixture of the minerals sylvite (KCl, or potassium chloride) and halite (NaCl, or sodium chloride).{{cite journal | title=Carnallite-Sylvite Relationships in the Middle Devonian Prairie Evaporite Formation, Saskatchewan | author=Wardlaw, Norman C. | journal=Geological Society of America Bulletin | year=1968 | volume=79 | issue=10 | pages=1273–1294 | doi=10.1130/0016-7606(1968)79[1273:CRITMD]2.0.CO;2| bibcode=1968GSAB...79.1273W }}Weiss N.L., SME Mineral Processing Handbook 1985, Page 22-2 Sylvinite is the most important source for the production of potash in North America, Russia and the UK.{{cite web | url=http://www.bgs.ac.uk/downloads/start.cfm?id=1367 | title=Potash | publisher=British Geological Survey | work=Mineral Planning Factsheet | date=2011 | accessdate=8 February 2017}} Most Canadian operations mine sylvinite with proportions of approximately 31% KCl and 66% NaCl with the balance being insoluble clays, anhydrite and in some locations carnallite. Other deposits of sylvinite are located in Belarus, Brazil, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Spain.{{cite web | url=https://www.mindat.org/min-6360.html | title=Sylvinite | publisher=mindat.org | date=29 December 2016 | accessdate=8 February 2017}}