Potassium Chloride
Potassium chloride is one of the few bulk commodities on our range that carries no dangerous-goods classification at all — a plain, stable, water-soluble salt that happens to be the world's dominant source of agricultural potassium, and a straightforward industrial feedstock besides.
Chelora Chemicals supplies potassium chloride worldwide across fertilizer (muriate of potash), food/pharmaceutical and industrial grades, in bulk or bagged format, with a batch COA on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 7447-40-7
- IUPAC name
- Potassium chloride
- Molecular formula
- KCl
- Molecular weight
- 74.55 g/mol
- EC / EINECS
- 231-211-8
- Transport status
- Not classified as dangerous goods
- Common names
- Muriate of Potash, MOP
- HS Code
- 3104 20*
* Confirm the exact HS heading with your customs broker — fertilizer-grade KCl, food/pharma-grade KCl and industrial-grade KCl can sit under different tariff subheadings depending on declared end use.
What Potassium Chloride is used for
Potassium chloride is a white to pale pink, odorless crystalline solid — chemically simple, thermally stable, and freely soluble in water. It is mined or evaporated from brine as the mineral potash, then processed into whichever grade a given industry needs.
Its overwhelming largest use, by tonnage, is as muriate of potash (MOP) fertilizer, the primary source of the potassium nutrient in modern agriculture. A second substantial stream is food and pharmaceutical grade material, used as a sodium-free salt substitute and as the potassium source in oral and intravenous electrolyte replacement. Industrially it is the feedstock for potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate and potassium metal production, and it does double duty as water-softener regeneration salt and an oilfield drilling-fluid additive.
Grades we supply
- Fertilizer grade (MOP, this product's primary grade) standard grade for direct soil application and NPK blending, typically 60–62% K2O.
- Food / pharmaceutical grade high-purity material meeting food-additive and pharmacopoeia specifications for electrolyte and salt-substitute use.
- Industrial / technical grade feedstock purity for KOH, K2CO3 and potassium metal production, and for water-treatment and drilling-fluid use.
- Soluble / fine-crystal grade faster-dissolving material for fertigation and specialty blending where particle size matters.
State the grade and K2O content you require on your purchase order — see the full inorganic salt range.
Appearance and handling character
The material ships as a white, pale pink or reddish crystalline solid (color depends on trace iron-oxide content from the source ore), hygroscopic enough to cake if stored in a damp environment but otherwise chemically unremarkable. Unlike most of our range, KCl carries no GHS hazard classification for normal handling, and no transport dangerous-goods classification — the practical concerns are dust, caking and bulk-handling logistics rather than acute toxicity or reactivity.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to pale pink/red crystals |
| KCl content (fertilizer grade) | 95% min (≈ 60–62% K2O) |
| KCl content (food/pharma grade) | 99.0% min |
| Moisture | 0.5% max |
| Sodium chloride (as impurity) | Reported per batch |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial-grade material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document. K2O content and granulometry are the figures that most affect fertilizer blending — tell us your target and we will quote against it.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Crystalline solid at ambient |
| Melting point | 770 °C |
| Boiling point | 1420 °C |
| Density | 1.98 g/cm³ |
| Water solubility | ≈ 34 g/100 mL @ 20 °C, rising with temperature |
| Hygroscopicity | Mild — can cake in humid storage |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 7447-40-7 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this salt to work
This is a genuinely multi-industry commodity. The grade and particle size you need depends entirely on which application you are buying for.
Muriate of potash (MOP) fertilizer
The primary source of potassium nutrient in NPK fertilizer blends and straight potash application, by far the largest end use by tonnage worldwide.
- Standard and soluble grades available
- Bulk vessel and bagged delivery
- See our fertilizer salt range
Food & pharmaceutical electrolyte use
High-purity KCl serves as a sodium-free salt substitute and as the potassium source in oral and IV electrolyte-replacement formulations.
- Food-additive and pharmacopoeia grades
- Full certificate and traceability package
- Technical desk review of your spec
Potassium chemical feedstock
Electrolysis and chemical conversion of KCl is the standard industrial route to potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate and potassium metal.
- Industrial / technical grade
- Bulk supply contracts available
- Custom purity on request
Water treatment & softener regeneration
Used as a lower-sodium alternative to NaCl for ion-exchange water-softener regeneration in both domestic and industrial systems.
- Granular and pelletised forms
- Bulk and bagged packaging
- Consistent dissolution rate
Oilfield drilling fluids
KCl is added to water-based drilling muds as a clay-swelling inhibitor, stabilising shale formations during drilling.
- Oilfield-grade documentation available
- Bulk delivery to site
- Technical support for your mud programme
Contract & scheduled supply
Fertilizer blenders and industrial consumers buy on seasonal or continuous schedules. We hold inventory and release it against your calendar.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Price held across the contract period
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply Potassium Chloride
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. On a commodity salt traded by the million tonnes, owning no plant means we can route your order to whichever potash producer's grade, particle size and logistics actually matches your blending line or your electrolyte specification.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your assay, your specification, your price point and your delivery window.
We keep a second qualified source on this line. When a plant goes down for maintenance, your order switches source rather than stalling.
- K2O / KCl content confirmed before we quote. The figure that actually prices fertilizer-grade material — we state it plainly on the COA rather than a generic "potash" description.
- Grade matched to end use. Fertilizer, food/pharma and industrial grades carry different purity and impurity profiles; we confirm which one your application actually needs.
- Batch COA shared before dispatch. You approve KCl content, moisture and impurity profile against your own spec while the material is still in our warehouse.
- Granulometry specified, not assumed. Standard, granular, soluble or fine-crystal — particle size affects blending and dissolution, and we confirm it before quoting.
- Pre-shipment samples for qualification. New account or new source, your laboratory runs a trial before the full quantity ever moves.
- Bulk logistics handled in-house. Vessel, rail and bagged-container booking, export documentation and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
Packed the way your plant receives it
Pack format drives your landed cost and your handling effort. Tell us how the material will be charged at your end and we will quote the format that suits your operation.
Bulk shipload / break-bulk
Standard format for large fertilizer-grade tonnage moving by sea, loaded direct from storage to hold.
Woven PP / paper bags
Standard bagged format for retail-blending and smaller industrial consumers, palletised and shrink-wrapped for transit.
Bulk road / rail
Tipper trucks or hopper rail cars for domestic bulk delivery where receiving infrastructure exists at destination.
Trial / sample quantities
Small bagged quantities dispatched so your blending or formulation team can qualify the grade first.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, including bulk vessel charters for large tonnage.
Fertilizer-season despatch
We hold contracted tonnage and release it ahead of planting season or against your blending calendar.
A genuinely low-hazard commodity
Potassium chloride carries no acute toxicity, corrosivity or reactivity classification under normal handling. The practical concerns on this product are dust nuisance, caking in storage and bulk-handling logistics rather than chemical hazard. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your consignment is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
None assignedNo GHS hazard classification applies to potassium chloride under normal use and handling.Dust nuisanceProlonged inhalation of fine dust may cause mechanical irritation to the respiratory tract; standard dust controls apply.Eye contactDust or splash from saturated solution may cause mild, transient eye irritation; rinse with water if this occurs.
Potassium chloride is listed by most regulatory bodies as a substance of low concern, with no classified health, physical or environmental hazard under GHS for normal commercial use. Routine industrial-hygiene dust control remains good practice on any bulk solid. Always read the SDS issued with your specific batch.
Spill & emergency orientation
Plan your response before the pallet arrives. Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the SDS are the authoritative instructions and should be posted at the point of use.
- Sweep up and reuse where practical. A dry spill of this material is simply a cleanup task, not a chemical incident — shovel or vacuum and return to stock if uncontaminated.
- Avoid prolonged dust exposure. Standard dust masks and good housekeeping are sufficient for routine bulk handling.
- Rinse surfaces after a solution spill. Residual KCl can leave a fine crystalline film and mild slip hazard once water evaporates.
- No special fire or reactivity precautions. Potassium chloride is non-combustible and does not react dangerously with common storage neighbours.
Storage
- Keep dry. KCl is mildly hygroscopic and can cake in humid storage — a dry, covered warehouse or silo is the only real requirement.
- Bulk storage in standard silos or warehouses. No special lining or construction material is required, unlike most of our acid and alkylating-agent range.
- Segregate from strongly oxidising salts in bulk blending. Standard fertilizer-blending good practice, not a safety-critical requirement.
- Indefinite shelf life under dry storage. This salt does not degrade chemically — caking from moisture pickup is a handling nuisance, not a quality failure.
Handling & PPE
- Standard dust controls for bulk handling. Dust masks and basic ventilation during bagging, bulk transfer and blending operations.
- Mechanical handling equipment as for any bulk solid. Conveyors, screw feeders and bucket elevators sized for the material's bulk density and flow characteristics.
- No specialist PPE required. Standard work gloves and eye protection are sufficient for routine handling; no chemical-resistant suiting is needed.
- Good housekeeping to prevent caking and dust accumulation. Routine warehouse practice rather than a safety-driven requirement.
Transport
Potassium chloride is not classified as dangerous goods for any mode of transport. It moves as ordinary bulk or bagged cargo — no UN number, hazard class or dangerous-goods declaration applies, which simplifies freight booking and documentation considerably compared with the rest of our specialty-chemical range.
What travels with every consignment
A chemical shipment is only as good as the file that travels with it. Verifying what the source plant sends is precisely the work you are buying from a supplier.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-specific KCl content, K2O equivalent, moisture and granulometry — checked against your purchase specification before release.
Food / pharma grade documentation
Food-additive and pharmacopoeia compliance certificates for grades intended for human-consumption or pharmaceutical use.
Certificate of Origin
Chamber-attested where required, plus preferential-origin forms where a trade agreement gives your import duty relief.
Third-party inspection
SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas sampling and inspection arranged on request before loading, giving you independent verification of what actually ships.
Retained & pre-shipment samples
Pre-shipment samples carry the same COA as the commercial lot, so what your laboratory qualifies is exactly what arrives.
Bulk vessel & logistics documentation
Charter party, bill of lading and discharge-port documentation handled in-house for large bulk fertilizer shipments.
A simple ionic salt, sourced from the earth
Potassium chloride is produced by mining or brine evaporation rather than chemical synthesis — the processing below is purification and grading, not a reaction sequence.
Mine or evaporate from brine
Potash ore (sylvinite, carnallite) is mined, or potassium-rich brine is evaporated, depending on the source deposit.
Separate from sodium chloride
Potash ore is a mix of KCl and NaCl — flotation or selective crystallisation separates the two by their different solubility behaviour.
Dry and size the crystals
The separated KCl is dried and screened or compacted to the target granulometry — standard, granular or soluble grade.
Grade and certify
Material is routed to fertilizer, food/pharma or industrial-grade specification depending on purity and intended end use.
Why K2O content and granulometry carry through the whole supply chain
On a commodity salt, the figures that matter are different from a reactive chemical, but still decisive:
- K2O content sets fertilizer value directly. It is the basis on which fertilizer-grade KCl is priced and blended into NPK formulations.
- Sodium chloride content matters for food/pharma grade. Electrolyte and salt-substitute applications need tight control over residual sodium.
- Granulometry decides blending and dissolution behaviour. A fertilizer blender needs a particle size that flows and blends consistently with other NPK components.
- Moisture drives caking risk in storage and transit. Higher moisture content increases the chance of a caked, hard-to-handle bulk load on arrival.
That is why we quote against your written grade and granulometry requirement rather than a generic "potash" label, and why the batch COA is shared for approval before dispatch.
| Material | Downstream / use |
|---|---|
| Potassium chloride (MOP) CAS 7447-40-7 — this product | Fertilizer, food/pharma, industrial feedstock |
| Potassium sulfate (SOP) CAS 7778-80-5 | Chloride-sensitive crop fertilizer |
| Potassium nitrate CAS 7757-79-1 | Fertilizer and oxidiser applications |
| Sodium chloride CAS 7647-14-5 | Water softener regeneration, de-icing |
We supply across this intermediate family — see the full intermediate range. Send the CAS number and we will confirm the correct material before quoting.
What actually moves the price of this product
Knowing what drives the quote helps you time a purchase and read whether an offer is realistic.
Global potash supply concentration
A small number of major basins (Canada, Russia, Belarus, Germany) supply most of the world's potash, so geopolitics and logistics there set the baseline price.
- We track major-basin supply news on your behalf
- Contracted call-off smooths short-term volatility
- Ask us about diversified sourcing
Freight dominates landed cost.
As a low-value, high-volume bulk commodity, ocean and inland freight is often a larger share of delivered cost than the ex-works price itself.
- Compare on landed cost, not ex-works
- Bulk vessel charter rates move with the dry-bulk market
- We quote FOB, CIF, CFR or DDP as you prefer
Grade premium for food/pharma purity
Food and pharmaceutical-grade material commands a real premium over fertilizer-grade for the same base salt, reflecting tighter impurity control.
- Confirm which grade your application actually needs
- We will flag when fertilizer grade would do just as well
- Pharmacopoeia compliance adds cost but also traceability
Seasonal demand swings.
Fertilizer demand concentrates around planting seasons in major agricultural regions, creating predictable price and logistics cycles.
- Book ahead of your region's planting season
- Contracted supply smooths seasonal exposure
- We flag seasonal booking windows in advance
Co-product economics at the mine.
Many potash operations also produce salt (NaCl) and other minerals; demand for those co-products can affect KCl output scheduling.
- Ask us what co-product markets are doing
- Dual-source contracts smooth supply risk
- We hold a second qualified source
| If your end use is… | Specify |
|---|---|
| Fertilizer blending (NPK, straight potash) | Fertilizer grade, 60–62% K2O, granulometry matched to your blend |
| Food additive / salt substitute | Food-grade, 99%+ KCl, low sodium chloride |
| Pharmaceutical electrolyte replacement | Pharmacopoeia-compliant grade with full traceability |
| KOH / K2CO3 / potassium metal feedstock | Industrial/technical grade |
| Water softener regeneration | Granular or pelletised grade |
Not sure which column you are in? Describe what you make from it and our technical desk will recommend the grade — including telling you when a cheaper specification would do the job just as well.
Support that goes beyond shipping the drum
What our technical desk will do
- Confirm K2O or KCl content and grade before anything else. Fertilizer, food/pharma and industrial grades are priced and specified differently, and we settle which one you need in the first reply.
- Confirm granulometry for your blending or dissolution needs. Standard, granular, soluble or fine-crystal — the wrong particle size causes real operational headaches downstream.
- Flag food/pharma compliance requirements early. So the right certification package is in place before the material ships, not requested after arrival.
- Review your specification before it goes into a contract. So you are not locked into a grade that costs more than your application actually requires.
Regulatory & compliance notes
- Fertilizer registration is destination-specific. Many countries require fertilizer-grade KCl to be registered or declared before import — we check this before quoting.
- Food/pharma grade needs compliance documentation. We supply the certification package your regulatory team needs for that filing.
- Import controls vary by destination. We check destination rules before quoting, not after you have raised the PO.
- No special hazardous-waste disposal rules apply. As a low-hazard commodity, KCl does not carry the disposal restrictions common elsewhere in our range.
None of the above is legal advice — your own regulatory affairs team owns the final compliance position for your import and your workplace. What we commit to is accurate product identity data, an honest statement of the hazard classification and complete documentation to work from.
From enquiry to delivered pallet
Send the specification
Grade (fertilizer, food/pharma or industrial), K2O/KCl content, granulometry, quantity and destination port.
Receive a firm quote
Pricing, lead time, packing and Incoterm confirmed in writing within 24 hours — our sourcing desk is staffed around the clock.
Qualify and approve
Sample dispatched if you are qualifying a new source. Batch COA shared for your approval before the material is released.
Ship and track
Bulk vessel, rail or bagged-container booking arranged, export documents issued, and the consignment tracked through transit and clearance.
What buyers ask us about Potassium Chloride
What is potassium chloride used for?
Is potassium chloride hazardous?
What is the difference between fertilizer and food-grade KCl?
What is the minimum order quantity?
How long does delivery take?
How should we store it?
Is this a dangerous good? What paperwork comes with it?
Do you supply to my country?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Request pricing on Potassium Chloride
Send your required grade, K2O or KCl content, granulometry, quantity and destination port. Our sourcing desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and comes back with pricing, lead time and packing options — whether that is a single trial pack or a contracted programme for the year.