DOCSLIB.ORG

Sodium Carbonate Brine and Trona Deposits in Sweetwater County, Wyoming

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sodium Carbonate Brine and Trona Deposits in Sweetwater County, Wyoming GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 235 SODIUM CARBONATE BRINE AND TRONA DEPOSITS IN SWEETWATER COUNTY, WYOMING UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Douglas McKay, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. E. Wrather, Director GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 235 SODIUM CARBONATE BRINE AND TRONA DEPOSITS IN SWEETWATER COUNTY, WYOMING By H. B. Lindeman Washington, D. C., 1954 Free on application to the Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C. 0 Heleno I I 0 Butte Billings 0 I I I ,--------------------~ I' I -~~ 'i \ I I I I w y 0 M N G Cosper 0 r-- I I I I I --~ I I Cheyenne I 0 salt 0 Lak~ ~--- -r ---------------- -·- 100 0 100 Miles I I I I Denver 0 Figure 1. --Index map showing location of area of sodium carbonate brine and trona deposits, Sweetwater County, Wyo. SODIUM CARBONATE BRINE AND TRONA DEPOSITS IN SWEETWATER COUNTY, WYOMING By H. B. Lindeman CONTENTS Page Page Introduction•••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1 Brine--Continued Acknowledgments....................... 3 Westvaco area •••••••••••••••••••••• 6 Brine............... 3 Trona deposits ••••••••••••••••••••••• 6 Green River area. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 Economic factors••••••••••••••••••••• 8 Eden area. • • • • • • .• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 Literature cited..................... 10 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Index map showing location of area••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Facing 1 2. General map showing relationship of prospected or developed sodium carbonate brine wells and trona deposits............................... 2 3. Sodium carbonate brine wells, Grea~ River area........................... 4 4. Sodium carbonate brine wells, Eden area•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5 5. Sodium carbonate brine wells and trona deposits, Westvaco area........... 7 6. Generalized sections from well-log data•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 INTRODUCTION This report presents a short review of and thick beds of the mineral trona the historical background, the more irnpor-· (Na2C03•NaHC03•2H20) occur northwest of tant physical and chemical aspects, and some Green River. of the factors which may affect development of the sodium carbonate brines and trona Deposits of sodium salts, whose exis­ deposits known to exist underground in tence in 't-~Jyoming was known in pioneer times, Sweetwater County, Wyo. The area (fig. 1) have been described by Chatard ( 1890), r1hose lies in the southwestern part of the State bulletin also contains an excerpt from a and extends westward from the town of Green paper (vleeks, 1886) on glass-making mater­ River for a distance of 20 miles and north­ ials and related soda deposits. The depos­ \>.'ard for 35 miles. By higm1ay, the area is its discussed are dr,y or partly dr.y surface about 175 miles northeast of Salt Lake City, lakes and can, for the most part, be con­ 'C'tah; about 310 miles 1-rest of Cheyenne, Wyo.; sidered as sodium sulphate. A bulletin by and about 225 miles southeast of Pocatello, Schultz (1909) on these and other deposits Idaho. Not all of the area is knorm to be also contains a de~cription of sodium brines underlain by brines or trona deposits, but from wells drilled at the town of Green to the date of this report they had been River. The geology has been further de­ found at the locations shown on figure 2. scribed by Sears and Bradley (1924). The sodium carbonate brines occur at In the past 16 years brine deposits, the town of Green River and near Eden, north in addition to those mentioned in the pre­ of Green River, and sodium carbonate brines ceding paragraph, have been found, and 1 25 N 110W 109 108 105 104W 24 N 22 21 20 17 111 w 110 106 105W 16 N Townships are numbered north and west from the 6th Principal Meridian 5 0 20 Miles Figure 2. --General map showing relationship of prospected or developed sodium carbonate brine and trona areas, . Sweetwater County, Wyo. 2 trona deposits have been discovered, part~ Grams prospected, and partly developed in the area per liter Percent (Romano, 19.52) • Prospecting and developnent have proved the trona deposits to be of such Conventional remarkable quality, thickness, and extent as combinations: to constitute a major commercial mineral Na2co3-------- 31.3.5 .54.9.5 resource. Further prospecting and develop­ NaHC03-------- 6.97 12.20 ment of the brines will be necessary to NaCl---------- 17.4.5 30 • .54 establish their degree of economic impor­ Na2so4-------- .8.5 1.49 tance. MgS04--------- .12 .21 K2S04--------- ~ ____&! ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Total--- .57.09 100.00 The writer is indebted to officials of the Union Pacific Railroad Co., Intermoun­ Eden area tain Chemical Corp., and the Wyoming Trona Corp. for making available certain informa­ In 1938 soda brine was found at a depth tion contained in this report. of 4.50 to .500 feet in a well (John Hay, fig. 4) being drilled for 'tvater near Eden. The BRINE brine was cased off and the well was deep­ ened to a fresh-water producing aquifer. As Brine is found at three localities a result of the inform tion thus obtained, (fig. 2) and further prospecting may prove the Wyoming Trona Corp. drilled a well in its presence in adjacent areas. The three 1949 (no. 1, fig. 4) for the purpose of test­ areas known to have potential producing ing the quality and quantity of the brine. characteristics are Green River (figs. 2, 3), At 477 feet the brine had sufficient arte­ Eden (figs. 2, 4), and Westvaco (figs. 2, .5). sian pressure to force it from a 4-inch pipe The Westvaco area also contains beds of the for a distance of approximately" 3 feet. l'l".ineral trona. After about 30 minutes the now diminished to an estimated 40 gallons per minute. The follow :ing analy"ses (in percent) of brine Green River area from this well were made by the U. S. Geological Survey: Before World War I, brine was discov­ ered near the town of Green River (fig. 3). Sample Brine pwnped from 13 wells drilled in the vicinity by the Western Alkali Corporation 1 2 and Associates yielded sodium carbonate which was used in a local plant (Schultz, Na2co3-------------- 3.68 4.20 - 1909). None of these wells was drilled to NaHC03-------------- 1.44 •73 a depth greater than 300 feet. Cl-----------------­ .017 .018 S04----------------­ .003 .002 In December 193.5 a well (MFS 1, £ig. 3) Ca------------------ .ooo .oo8 .001 was drilled to a depth of 439 feet (fig. 6) Mg-----------------­ .OOJ in the Green River area by the Mountain Fuel K20----------------- .023 .o.5o Supply Co. A sample o£ brine {sp gr 1.046) from a depth of 162 feet was analyzed by the Time taken (a.m.) -- 9 .3r;!/ 9 .3.5 U. S. Geological Survey as follows: Date -------- Sept. 1, 1949 Sept. 1, 1949 Depth (feet) ------- 477 477 Color -------------- Brown Amber Gral'l"..s Specific gravity at per liter Percent 2.5° c ------------- 1.0480 Constituents: co3 ----------- 17.76 31.00 HC03----------- .5.09 8.90 Cl------------- 10 • .59 18.50 !/ Taken imrnedia tely after opening valve for testing. s~------------ .78 1.38 Ca------------- 0 ¥~------------- .02 .03 K-------------- .16 .28 Na------------- 22.72 39.91 B-------------- ----- Trace Total----- .57.12 -100.00 3 I I I I -- - 15 - -- -- - ----14---· -- I 1 N I I I I I~ I J¥~ ~ I ~ GREEN RIVER I --23----- 1 I I I MFS 1 I 0 I - ---- - 26- - -- 1 I T. 18 N., R 107 W., 6th P.M. 1000 0 Wells I - 13 drilled by Western Alkali Corporation and Associates Well MFS I drilled by Mountain Fuel Supply Company Figure 3.--Sodium carbonate brine wells, Green River area, Sweetwater County, Wyo. 4 R.107 W. R.I06W. EDEN 24 19 20 • 21 22 N t 24 29 27 N. 25 30 28 1 c. 36 31 32 33 34 ""' 1 0 ~ 1 6 5 John Hoy 3 02 o.3 T. 23 12 N. 7 8 9 ~ o6 05 18. 17 16 15 04 24 19 20 21 22 John Hoy Welt drilled by John Hoy Wells 1-6 drilled by Wyoming Trona Corporation 5000 0 5000 Feet Figure 4. --Sodium carbonate brine wells, Eden area, Sweetwater County, Wyo. 5 Before March 1952 six wells had been As a result of this trona discovery, drilled in the area (fig. 4) by the Wyoming several companies became interested in the Trona Corp. and brine was found in all wells Westvaco area. Before March 1952 these . at deptl:s of 400 to 600 feet (fig. 6). There companies had drilled the following 10 test was an artesian flow of brine from several holes and obtained samples of trona from of the wells, but their productive capacity them: Mountain Fuel Supply Co., John Hay had not then been fullY determined. no. 1; Westvaco Chlorine Product Corp. (now Intermountain Chemical Corp.), Westvaco A dark substance found in some of tls nos. 1, 3, and 4; Union Pacific Railroad, brine from these wells appears to come from nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4; and Potash Comp~ of a zone a few feet above the zone which con­ America, nos. 1 and 2. Two other wells, tains the more abundant amber-colored brine. Union Pacific Railroad no. 5 and Westvaco The exact stratigraphic location of the no. 2, were not drilled deep enough to dark brown- and amber-urine zones has not penetrate the trona deposits. been definitelY established. An analysis of the dark-colored brine ( sp gr 1.055) All of the wells (fig. 5) which were from the no. 1. well (fig. 4) was made by drilled to the necessary depth penetrated the Geological Survey with the following beds of trona as much as 11.6 feet in thick­ results: ness in the Green River fonnation. The Grams thick beds usually u1clude a few minor shale per liter bands. Each well, with the exceptions noted previously, penetrated at least 1 trona bed Solids (total dissolved at 180°)-- 70.01 of minable thickness.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • CASE STUDY Methane Recovery at Non-Coal Mines
    CASE STUDY Methane Recovery at Non-coal Mines Background Existing methane recovery projects at non-coal mines reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 3 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). Although methane emissions are generally associated with coal mines, methane is also found in salt, potash, trona, diamond, gold, base metals, and lead mines throughout the world. Many of these deposits are located adjacent to hydrocarbon (e.g., coal and oil) deposits where methane originates. Consequently, during the process of mining non-coal deposits, methane may be released. Overview of Methane Recovery Projects Beatrix Gold Mine, South Africa Promethium Carbon, a carbon and climate change advisory firm, has developed a project to capture and use methane from the Beatrix Gold Mine in Free State, South Africa (see box). Project Specifications: Beatrix Gold Mine Name Capture and Utilization of Methane at the Gold Fields–owned Beatrix Mine in South Africa Site Free State Province, South Africa Owner Gold Fields Ltd., Exxaro On-site Pty Ltd. Dates of Operation May 2011–present Equipment Phase 1 • GE Roots Blowers • Trolex gas monitoring systems • Flame arrestor • 23 burner flare Equipment Phase 2 Addition of internal combustion engines End-use Phase 1 Destruction through flaring End-use Phase 2 4 MW power generation Emission Reductions 1.7 million tons CO²e expected over CDM project lifetime (through 2016) Commissioning of Flare at Beatrix Gold Mine (Photo courtesy of Gold Fields Ltd.) CASE STUDY Methane Recovery at Non-coal Mines ABUTEC Mine Gas Incinerator at Green River Trona Mine (Photo courtesy of Solvay Chemicals, Inc.) Green River Trona Mine, United States Project Specifications: Green River Trona Mine Trona is an evaporite mineral mined in the United States Name Green River Trona Mine Methane as the primary source of sodium carbonate, or soda ash.
    [Show full text]
  • Trona Na3(CO3)(HCO3) • 2H2O C 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, Version 1
    Trona Na3(CO3)(HCO3) • 2H2O c 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, version 1 Crystal Data: Monoclinic. Point Group: 2/m. Crystals are dominated by {001}, {100}, flattened on {001} and elongated on [010], with minor {201}, {301}, {211}, {211}, {411},to 10 cm; may be fibrous or columnar massive, as rosettelike aggregates. Physical Properties: Cleavage: {100}, perfect; {211} and {001}, interrupted. Fracture: Uneven to subconchoidal. Hardness = 2.5–3 D(meas.) = 2.11 D(calc.) = 2.124 Soluble in H2O, alkaline taste; may fluoresce under SW UV. Optical Properties: Translucent. Color: Colorless, gray, pale yellow, brown; colorless in transmitted light. Luster: Vitreous. Optical Class: Biaxial (–). Orientation: X = b; Z ∧ c =83◦. Dispersion: r< v; strong. α = 1.412–1.417 β = 1.492–1.494 γ = 1.540–1.543 2V(meas.) = 76◦160 2V(calc.) = 74◦ Cell Data: Space Group: I2/a. a = 20.4218(9) b = 3.4913(1) c = 10.3326(6) β = 106.452(4)◦ Z=4 X-ray Powder Pattern: Sweetwater Co., Wyoming, USA. 2.647 (100), 3.071 (80), 4.892 (55), 9.77 (45), 2.444 (30), 2.254 (30), 2.029 (30) Chemistry: (1) (2) CO2 38.13 38.94 SO3 0.70 Na2O 41.00 41.13 Cl 0.19 H2O 20.07 19.93 insol. 0.02 −O=Cl2 0.04 Total 100.07 100.00 • (1) Owens Lake, California, USA; average of several analyses. (2) Na3(CO3)(HCO3) 2H2O. Occurrence: Deposited from saline lakes and along river banks as efflorescences in arid climates; rarely from fumarolic action. Association: Natron, thermonatrite, halite, glauberite, th´enardite,mirabilite, gypsum (alkali lakes); shortite, northupite, bradleyite, pirssonite (Green River Formation, Wyoming, USA).
    [Show full text]
  • Remarks on Different Methods for Analyzing Trona and Soda Samples
    REMARKS ON DIFFERENT METHODS FOR ANALYZING TRONA AND SODA SAMPLES Gülay ATAMAN*; Süheyla TUNCER* and Nurgün GÜNGÖR* ABSTRACT. — Trona is one of the natural forms of sodium carbonate minerals. It is well known as «sesque carbonate», «urao» or «trona» in the chemical literature, and the chemical formula of the compound is [Na2CO3.NaHCO3.2H2O]. The aim of this work is to adapt the standard methods for the analysis of trona samples, considering the inter- ferences arising from silicates and other minerals found together with trona samples. In order to reduce the experimen- tal errors, the analyses used for the determination of trona samples have been revised. The experimental results using potentiometric titration, AgNO3 external indicator and BaCl2 titration methods have been compared to theoretical results using statistical evaluations. 95 % confidence level, which is commonly used by analytical chemists, was employed as the basis of evaluation, R values, Student's t calculated at 95 % confidence level of 7 trona samples from Beypazarı, Student's t tabulated for the percentages of Na2CO3, were found to be 0.008 in BaCl2 method, 3.25 for AgNO3 external indicator method and 3.26 for potentiometric method; for the percentages of NaHCO3 the same values are 0.59 for BaCl2 method, 2.83 for AgNO3 external indicator method and 3.59 for potentiometric method. Systematic error is indicated when R> 1. In addi- tion to quantitative analysis of trona samples, qualitative XRD analyses have been routinely performed for each sample and the results were found to be in good agreement. INTRODUCTION Trona is a naturally occuring from of sodium carbonate minerals.
    [Show full text]
  • Rocks and Minerals Make up Your World
    Rocks and Minerals Make up Your World Rock and Mineral 10-Specimen Kit Companion Book Presented in Partnership by This mineral kit was also made possible through the generosity of the mining companies who supplied the minerals. If you have any questions or comments about this kit please contact the SME Pittsburgh Section Chair at www.smepittsburgh.org. For more information about mining, visit the following web sites: www.smepittsburgh.org or www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining Updated August 2011 CONTENTS Click on any section name to jump directly to that section. If you want to come back to the contents page, you can click the page number at the bottom of any page. INTRODUCTION 3 MINERAL IDENTIFICATION 5 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES 6 FUELS 10 BITUMINOUS COAL 12 ANTHRACITE COAL 13 BASE METAL ORES 14 IRON ORE 15 COPPER ORE 16 PRECIOUS METAL ORE 17 GOLD ORE 18 ROCKS AND INDUSTRIAL MINERALS 19 GYPSUM 21 LIMESTONE 22 MARBLE 23 SALT 24 ZEOLITE 25 INTRODUCTION The effect rocks and minerals have on our daily lives is not always obvious, but this book will help explain how essential they really are. If you don’t think you come in contact with minerals every day, think about these facts below and see if you change your mind. • Every American (including you!) uses an average of 43,000 pounds of newly mined materials each year. • Coal produces over half of U.S. electricity, and every year you use 3.7 tons of coal. • When you talk on a land-line telephone you’re holding as many as 42 different minerals, including aluminum, beryllium, coal, copper, gold, iron, limestone, silica, silver, talc, and wollastonite.
    [Show full text]
  • Ulexite Nacab5o6(OH)6 • 5H2O C 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, Version 1 Crystal Data: Triclinic
    Ulexite NaCaB5O6(OH)6 • 5H2O c 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, version 1 Crystal Data: Triclinic. Point Group: 1. Rare as measurable crystals, which may have many forms; typically elongated to acicular along [001], to 5 cm, then forming fibrous cottonball-like masses; in compact parallel fibrous veins, and radiating and compact nodular groups. Twinning: Polysynthetic on {010} and {100}; possibly also on {340}, {230}, and others. Physical Properties: Cleavage: On {010}, perfect; on {110}, good; on {110}, poor. Fracture: Uneven across fiber groups. Tenacity: Brittle. Hardness = 2.5 D(meas.) = 1.955 D(calc.) = 1.955 Slightly soluble in H2O; parallel fibrous masses can act as fiber optical light pipes; may fluoresce yellow, greenish yellow, cream, white under SW and LW UV. Optical Properties: Transparent to opaque. Color: Colorless; white in aggregates, gray if included with clays. Luster: Vitreous; silky or satiny in fibrous aggregates. Optical Class: Biaxial (+). Orientation: X (11.5◦,81◦); Y (100◦,21.5◦); Z (107◦,70◦) [with c (0◦,0◦) and b∗ (0◦,90◦) using (φ,ρ)]. α = 1.491–1.496 β = 1.504–1.506 γ = 1.519–1.520 2V(meas.) = 73◦–78◦ Cell Data: Space Group: P 1. a = 8.816(3) b = 12.870(7) c = 6.678(1) α =90.36(2)◦ β = 109.05(2)◦ γ = 104.98(4)◦ Z=2 X-ray Powder Pattern: Jenifer mine, Boron, California, USA. 12.2 (100), 7.75 (80), 6.00 (30), 4.16 (30), 8.03 (15), 4.33 (15), 3.10 (15b) Chemistry: (1) (2) B2O3 43.07 42.95 CaO 13.92 13.84 Na2O 7.78 7.65 H2O 35.34 35.56 Total 100.11 100.00 • (1) Suckow mine, Boron, California, USA.
    [Show full text]
  • Sodium Carbonate Resources of the Eocene Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado Click Here to Return to Volume Title Page by Michael E
    Chapter 2 Sodium Carbonate Resources of the Eocene Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado Click here to return to Volume Title Page By Michael E. Brownfield, Ronald C. Johnson, and John R. Dyni Chapter 2 of 7 Oil Shale Resources of the Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado By U.S. Geological Survey Oil Shale Assessment Team U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series DDS–69–BB U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Brownfield, M.E., Johnson, R.C., and Dyni, J.R., Sodium carbonate resources of the Eocene Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado, 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series DDS–69–BB, chp. 2, 13 p. iii Contents Abstract
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 5: Mineral Resources of the Northwest Central US
    Chapter 5: Mineral Resources of the granite • a common and Northwest Central US widely occurring type of igneous rock. What is a mineral? igneous rocks • rocks A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic solid with a specific chemical derived from the cooling composition and a well-developed crystalline structure. Minerals provide the of magma underground or foundation of our everyday world. Not only do they make up the rocks we see molten lava on the Earth’s surface. around us in the Northwest Central, they are also used in nearly every aspect of our lives. The minerals found in the rocks of the Northwest Central are used in industry, construction, machinery, technology, food, makeup, jewelry, and even the paper on which these words are printed. mica • a large group of sheetlike silicate minerals. Minerals provide the building blocks for rocks. For example, granite, an igneous rock, is typically made up of crystals of the minerals feldspar, quartz, mica, and amphibole. In contrast, sandstone may be made of cemented grains of sandstone • sedimentary feldspar, quartz, and mica. The minerals and the bonds between the crystals rock formed by cementing define a rock’s color and resistance toweathering . together grains of sand. Several thousand minerals have been discovered and classified according to their chemical composition. Most of them are silicates (representing cementation • the precipi- approximately a thousand different minerals, of which quartz and feldspar are tation of minerals that binds two of the most common and familiar), which are made of silicon and oxygen together particles of rock, bones, etc., to form a solid combined with other elements (with the exception of quartz, SiO2).
    [Show full text]
  • Phase Relations of Nahcolite and Trona at High P-T Conditions
    Journal of MineralogicalPhase and relationsPetrological of nahcolite Sciences, and Volume trona 104, page 25─ 36, 2009 25 Phase relations of nahcolite and trona at high P-T conditions *,** * Xi LIU and Michael E. FLEET *Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada **School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China Using cold-seal hydrothermal bomb and piston-cylinder apparatus, we have carried out both forward and rever- sal experiments to investigate the phase boundary between nahcolite (NaHCO3) and trona (NaHCO3⋅Na2CO3⋅ 2H2O). We found that the temperature of this phase boundary remains low at least up to 10 kbar, so that this phase transformation maintains its univariant nature in our investigated P-T space. The locus of this phase - boundary in a log(pCO2) T space is defined as log(pCO2) = 0.0240(±0.0001)T – 9.80(±0.06) (with pCO2 in bar and T in K), in excellent agreement with earlier 1 atm experiments at different partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2) and theoretical calculation. Using this equation and literature thermodynamic data, the entropy of trona at 298.15 K is constrained to be 303.8 J mol−1 K−1, essentially identical to earlier estimates from different methods. Our experimental results have also been used to constrain the genesis of nahcolite in some fluid inclusions of diverse origins, and it is suggested that nahcolite in these occurrences is most likely a daughter mineral which crystallized from the fluids as temperature decreased, rather than an accidentally trapped phase. Keywords: Nahcolite, Trona, Phase relations, Entropy, Fluid inclusions INTRODUCTION 2002).
    [Show full text]
  • Potash, Soda Ash, and Borates 3
    Energy and Environmental Profile of the U.S. Mining Industry Potash, Soda Ash, and Borates 3 Potash, soda ash and borates are industrial minerals. They are used primary as feedstock for other industries. They are used to make fertilizers, glass, chemicals and other materials used throughout manufacturing industries. For example, the agricultural industry relies heavily on potash and borates as fertilizers. It is the dependence of these manufacturing industries that make industrial minerals so important. Forms of Potash Potash is used primarily as an agricultural fertilizer because it is a source for soluble potassium. Potash denotes a variety of mined and manufactured salts, all containing the element potassium in water-soluble form. Potash can be potassium chloride [KCL, or muriate of potash (MOP)], potassium sulfate [K2SO4, or sulfate of potash (SOP), a . manufactured product], potassium/magnesium sulfate [K2SO4 MgSO4, or sulfate of potash magnesia (SOPM)], potassium nitrate (KNO3 or saltpeter, a manufactured product), or mixed sodium/potassium nitrate (NaNO3+KNO3, or Chilean saltpeter). The term potash was originally applied to potassium carbonate/potassium hydroxide crystals that were recovered in iron “pots” from leaching wood “ashes” with water.1 Forms of Soda Ash Soda ash is the trade name for sodium carbonate (NA2CO3), a chemical refined from the mineral trona or from sodium carbonate-bearing brines (both referred to as natural soda ash) and manufactured from one of several chemical processes (referred to as synthetic soda ash). It is an essential raw material in glass, chemicals, detergents, and other 2 important industrial products. 1 Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Industry Survey, Potash, p.1, 1997 2 Department of Interior, U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Character and Distribution of Nonclastic Minerals in the Searles Lake Evaporite Deposit California
    Character and Distribution of Nonclastic Minerals in the Searles Lake Evaporite Deposit California By GEORGE I. SMITH and DAVID V. HAINES I CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1181-P Prepared in cooperation with the State of California, Resources Agency, ' Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology -A UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1964 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director The U.S. Geological Survey Library catalog card for this publication appears after page P58. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Abstract..---.---------------------------------------------------- PI Introduction-____________-___-___----_--_-______-____--_______-___ 3 Acknowledgments ____-_____---_-__--__--_----__-_______---____..__- 4 Mineralogy __________-_---_---------_-_--_----_-------_--__-_-____ 6 , Minerals associated with saline layers____________________________ 8 Aphthitalite.. __-____---_----_---_--___---_---__-_________ 8 Borax-----.--------------------------------------.------- 10 Burkeite__.______--____-_.._-___-._-__.____..._..______ 12 Halite ------------------------------------------------- 14 Hanksite.-_------------_-----_-------__----------_----__- 16 Nahcolite__-___-_---_-_______-___-___---_____-___-_-____ 18 ^ Sulfohalite-.--------------------------------------------- 19 Teepleite._-----------------_----_------_-------_---_-.-.- 20 ,-
    [Show full text]
  • Study of Trona ( Sodium Sesquicarbonate)
    UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date:___________________ I, _________________________________________________________, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in: It is entitled: This work and its defense approved by: Chair: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ A Modeling and Experimental Study of the Conversion of Trona to Increase Its Reactivity with SO2 in Dry Injection System A dissertation submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.) In the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the College of Engineering 2007 by Kyungmin Jacob Cho M.S. Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea, 2000 B.S. Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea, 1998 Committee Chair: Dr. Tim C. Keener ABSTRACT The first objective of this study was to develop a cost‐effective method of converting Na2CO3 fraction of parent trona to NaHCO3 to achieve more efficient removal of SO2 in dry injection systems. The conversion experiment was performed by varying the level of water vapor, partial pressure of CO2, and reaction temperature in a pressurized reactor in order to produce modified trona. While temperature, reaction time and partial pressure of CO2 had a little effect, water vapor level significantly affected the conversion process. Then, the reaction of SO2 with parent and modified trona was studied using an entrained flow reactor under simulating flue gases at the temperature of ~177oC while varying the stoichiometric ratio of trona to SO2 from 0.4 to 2.5. The experimental results indicated that modified trona is more efficient in removing SO2 compared to parent trona at the tested stoichiometric ratio of 1.0 and 2.0, with a larger enhancement (15%) observed at the stoichiometric ratio of 2.0.
    [Show full text]
  • Sodium Sesquicarbonate (Trona) CAS No
    Product Safety Summary Sodium Sesquicarbonate (Trona) CAS No. 533-96-0 This Product Safety Summary is intended to provide a general overview of the chemical substance. The information on the summary is basic information and is not intended to provide emergency response information, medical information or treatment information. The summary should not be used to provide in-depth safety and health information. In-depth safety and health information can be found on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the chemical substance. Names Trisodium hydrogendicarbonate dihydrate Hydrated sodium bicarbonate Trona Sodium sesquicarbonate Sodium sesquicarbonate dihydrate Product Overview Solvay Chemicals, Inc. does not sell sodium sesquicarbonate (trona) directly to consumers. Consumers will not generally be exposed to sodium sesquicarbonate. Sodium sesquicarbonate is a naturally occurring mineral which is mined as a raw material used to manufacture sodium carbonate (soda ash). Trona is an off-white to tan colored crystalline solid, usually sold as granules or powder. There are a number of applications for trona and products derived from it. For example, in a minimally purified state, trona is used as a rumen buffer (digestive aid) in cattle feed. It has also been used to reduce acid gas stack emissions in industries ranging from the electric power generation to cement manufacturing for over twenty years. Exposure to trona, especially the powder, can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Page 1 of 5 Copyright 2010-2013, Solvay America, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Manufacture of Product Solvay Chemicals, Inc. manufactures trona products by extracting trona ore (natural trisodium hydrogendicarbonate dihydrate) from deep underground.
    [Show full text]