Trona extraction and Soda Ash production

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How we extract trona: Solution extraction

We only produce Soda Ash from naturally occurring underground ore, called trona, which is more environmentally friendly than alternative synthetic production methods, which use significantly more energy and water, and produce significantly more CO2 and solid waste. We operate the two lowest cost production facilities in the world – at Eti Soda and Kazan Soda in Turkey.

We are the only soda ash producer in the world to use innovative solution-extraction on a commercial scale.

This patented production method injects heated water into the underground ore body, which then dissolves the trona forming brine solution. The brine is then extracted to the surface, and pumped to a central processing facility.

How we produce Soda Ash

Although we produce Soda Ash in enormous quantities, the process steps to manufacture Soda Ash from brine solution are quite simple.

Filtration

Once the brine solution is above ground, it is pumped into our production plant where it is filtered to remove insolubles.

Crystallisation

The filtered brine is then stripped and evaporated to concentrate the brine, resulting in sodium carbonate crystallising out of the solution.

Separation

This forms a sodium carbonate slurry, and the crystals are then separated out using a centrifuge.

Drying

Once separated, the crystals are dried to produce Soda Ash powder.

EXTRACTION

Kazan Soda Elektrik extraction facility provides the trona solution (brine) which is the raw material of the process plant. The trona reserves, which lie at an average depth of 600 meters underground, are dissolved with hot water injection to the production wells, which forms trona solution (brine). Kazan Soda Elektrik owns the second biggest trona reserve in the world.

PROCESS

The trona (sodium sesquicarbonate Na2CO3 NaHCO3 2H2O), which is found in the Kazan and Sincan districts of Ankara, is extracted by solution extraction, a safe and environmentally friendly extraction technique. The trona solution, i.e., brine which is subjected to monohydrate process in the production lines of Kazan Soda Elektrik process unit is converted into Dense Soda Ash and Sodium Bicarbonate products, and 2.9 million tons of Dense Soda Ash and Sodium Bicarbonate are produced annually. These products are exported to different parts of the world, priory to Europe.

COGENERATION

The facility of Kazan Soda Elektrik Uretim Inc. includes a natural gas cogeneration power plant with a capacity of 379 MWe. Excess electric power generated are utilized for contributing to the domestic power distribution grid.