uses for sugarsand/niter

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

I have so much sugar sand this year. Are there any uses for it such as vitamins and the antioxidents and minerals? Just curious. Any info out there?

[SSFLLC]

I Know they use it to smooth eye glass glass and theres a guy in alstead with buffalo that uses it for a wormer on the buffalo. We rinse it into the compost pile. Not sure if its a benefit or not. Keith

[smokeyamber]

I was curious on this so I googled it... here is what I found :

"the gritty material obtained by filtering commercial maple sirup was analyzed to determine its composition and to relate its composition to the amount of sugar sand deposited to determine the factors responsible for the formation of sugar sand. The samples, taken over a two-year period, contained calcium, malic acid, and undetermined material (probably silica) as the major constituents. The calcium, malic acid, and calcium malate content gave highly significant positive correlations with the amount of sugar sand formed, whereas the percentage of undetermined material gave a negative correlation. There was also evidence that the malic acid content was more critical in the formation of sugar sand than the calcium content. Highly significant negative correlations were obtained between the percent sugar sand deposited and the iron, copper, and boron content. Further, these constituents also gave highly significant negative correlations when compared with the calcium content of the sugar sand. The presence of potassium, magnesium, and molybdenum appeared to have little effect on the formation of sugar sand. The nonvolatile organic acids present in sugar sand were determined by paper chromatography. Results showed that sugar sand contains malic, citric, succinic, fumaric, and three unidentified organic acids."
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2621.1963.tb00180.x/abstract?systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+b e+disrupted+4+Feb+from+10-12+GMT+for+monthly+maintenance

Still no idea what it can be used for ... :o

[DrTimPerkins]

I have so much sugar sand this year. Are there any uses for it such as vitamins and the antioxidents and minerals? Just curious. Any info out there?

We've heard a lot of suggestions, but no real good markets for it that I'm aware of. You don't want to consume it, unless you want/need a laxative (which is why it's filtered out). Also, if you have lead-soldered equipment, the niter can have a good dose of lead in it.

[Cake O' Maple]

You don't want to consume it, unless you want/need a laxative (which is why it's filtered out).

Huh. So now I wonder if it really deworms the buffalo or just makes 'em poo.

[Thad Blaisdell]

save it to put on all this ice!

[lew]

Cake o Maple

It's probably not the sugar sand that is being used as a wormer. Many animal producers are using diatomaceous earth as a wormer, the same stuff we use as filter aid. Some say it works, others say no.

[CBOYER]

Bear baiting:evil:

[Bruce L]

Our cattle treat it like a salt lick.lap it up and look for more