Off we go again today, searching for – and delivering – another reason to visit our site regularly. So, as lovely and as unforgettable as they are, how many times can you visit Venice or Paris? Or, perhaps better said, how many times do you think you might want to skip Venice or Paris for a while? As of this writing, Venice is even starting to charge for admission. Worth every penny, but there are countless other places who would be forever grateful for your money, as well.
So, join us as we celebrate Santa Laura Saltpeter. You’ll certainly recognize the last word in that sentence. But when has it last come to mind for you? To be completely complete – and probably a little bit bland, let us continue the post with some science. Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with a sharp, salty, bitter taste and the chemical formula KNO It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−, and is therefore an alkali metal nitrate.
Major uses of potassium nitrate are in fertilizers, tree stump removal, rocket propellants and fireworks. It is one of the major constituents of gunpowder (black powder). In processed meats, potassium nitrate reacts with hemoglobin and myoglobin generating a red color.
Now, to the point, saltpeter doesn’t grown on trees and it is a very important, if unsung topic. What is more interesting is where you can find it. And why you would want to look for it. Down in Chile, it was a mainstay. Enough so that UNESCO has deemed that the saltpeter works a site of note.
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works are two former saltpeter refineries located in northern Chile. They were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, as a testament to the historical importance of saltpeter mining in Chile and the culture and social agenda that developed around it in the late 19th century.[2][3] The works were placed on the World Heritage List in Danger that same year, due to the fragility of the derelict buildings, but was removed in 2019.[4] Read more here.
And, all of the content above should give you a poke to go visit this rare place. And, Chile is terrific.
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