Potassium formate (HCOOK) is a specialty chemical widely used as a de-icing agent for runways, roads, and walkways due to its ability to effectively lower the freezing point of water. It is preferred over traditional chloride salts because it is less corrosive to metals, less damaging to concrete and vegetation, and biodegradable, making it a safer and more environmentally friendly option for infrastructure, vehicles, and ecosystems.

In the oil and gas industry, it serves as a key component in high-density drilling fluids (formate brines), helping to stabilize shale formations, control wellbore pressures, and prevent formation damage.

Additionally, it functions as a buffering agent in various industrial processes, a reducing agent in chemical synthesis (e.g., for hydrogen generation), a soil conditioner and potassium source in agriculture, an additive in leather tanning processes, and a feed supplement in animal nutrition to aid digestion and promote growth.