Soda Ash

1. Key information:
1.1. Formulae: Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3
1.2. Soda ash is amongst the top 5 major inorganic chemicals in the global chemical
industry with a total global production volume standing at ~55 million tonnes in 2018
and an industry value estimated at USD 16 Billion.
1.3. It is produced in large quantities from sodium chloride and limestone by the Solvay
process.
1.4. The primary grades of soda ash which are utilized globally are Dense Soda Ash and
Light Soda Ash.
1.5. Sodium carbonate is obtained as three hydrates and as the anhydrous salt:
1.5.1. Sodium carbonate decahydrate (natron), Na2CO3·10H2O, which readily
effloresces to form the monohydrate.
1.5.2. Sodium carbonate heptahydrate (not known in mineral form), Na2CO3·7H2O.
1.5.3. Sodium carbonate monohydrate (thermonatrite), Na2CO3·H2O. Also known
as crystal carbonate.
1.5.4. Anhydrous sodium carbonate, also known as calcined soda, is formed by
heating the hydrates. It is also formed when sodium hydrogen carbonate is
heated (calcined) e.g. in the final step of the Solvay process.

2. Applications
2.1. In terms of its largest applications, sodium carbonate is used in the manufacture of
glass, paper, rayon, soaps, and detergents
2.2. The glass industry forms the largest end user industry of dense soda ash with over
half of the soda ash production being used in glass production on a global scale.
Light soda ash is primarily used for aluminum cleaning, dying and water softening.
Light soda ash is also used to make baking soda that finds application in the food,
leather tanning, fire extinguisher, metals, chemicals and personal care products
industry.
3. Production
3.1. The global soda ash industry constitutes of two production types, i.e., natural soda
ash and synthetic soda ash production.
3.1.1. Natural soda ash is mined from Trona, which is a naturally occurring mineral
ore
3.1.2. Whereas synthetic soda ash is made using limestone, salt and coke using the
Solvay process.

4. Industry Demand Supply Dynamics

4.1. The global soda ash production has increased at a CAGR of ~2.5% during the
period 2010-2018 and stood around 55 million tonnes in 2018. The global production
capacity of soda ash is concentrated in USA, China, Europe and India.

4.2. The manufacturing capacity of soda ash is highly concentrated with China and the
US controlling ~64% of the total global capacity.
4.3. The top 5 importing countries by volume are India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and
Germany which together account for ~44% of the global import demand volume.

4.4. The top 5 importing countries by volume are India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and
Germany which together account for ~44% of the global import demand volume.