A process invented in the nineteenth century for the production of potassium carbonate from potassium chloride. The process has two steps and first involves the production of soluble salt MgKH(CO3)2.4H2O, known as Engel’s salt, using carbon dioxide which is passed through a suspension of magnesium carbonate in aqueous chloride. This is followed by its decomposition by hot water and magnesia to form the product and insoluble hydrated magnesium carbonate:
There were several variations of this process but it was abandoned in the 1930s for economic reasons.