Subject: How is potassium obtained or extracted?

I am doing a school project on
Potassium and have a fair bit of info on it's obvious facts and
dangers.  I also have to know about how it is obtained or extracted.  I
know it comes from minerals, such as carnallite and sylvite, but I don't
understand what electrolysis or the thermal methods for getting it are.
I also am trying to understand 'Potash'.  Is that what it was first
named?  Or is that what it is named mixed with another element?
I would greatly appreciate if you could help me with this.
Yours Sincerely
Emma
P.S. I followed a link from your potassium site - the link was : Los
Alamos Periodic Table.

Re: How is potassium obtained or extracted?