While potassium nitrate may
be boring in solution, the solid is acritical
oxidizing
component of black powder gunpowder. In the past it was also used for burning fuse technologies including slow matches.
It readily precipitates and
was widely "harvested" since the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern
era through the 19th century from urine from which it was forced to crystallize in various
odorous ways.
Its common
names include saltpeter, American English saltpeter, & Nitrate of potash.
KNO3
(aq)
KNO3
(s)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid
The name Chile saltpetre is also applied to sodium nitrate, which while
related to explosives as well, is a very different compound.