Kick-off of Natural Alkali Processing Project in Henan

Construction on the 1.5 million t/a soda ash and sodium
bicarbonate project was recently started in Tongbai county,
Henan province. It is the biggest natural alkali comprehensive
processing project in China. After the completion of the project
the natural alkali processing capacity in Tongbai will reach
nearly 3.0 million t/a. The capacity of the project will further
be expanded to 5.0 million t/a in future.
    The proven natural alkali reserves in Anpeng and Wucheng
mines located in Tongbai amount to 150 million tons and the
prospective reserves reach 300 million - 500 million tons. The
value of minerals is more than RMB200 billion. Tongbai started
to promote the development of the natural alkali sector in 1997
and the capacity is already close to 1.5 million t/a today.
    The new natural alkali comprehensive processing project
will use world's advanced processes such as the sesqi-alkali
liquid-phase hydration process, the monohydration process and
the carbonization process and 14 international patent
technologies such as depth fracturing dissolution recovery
technology. The causticizing process with environmental
pollution will be eliminated. Quick lime will no longer be used
in the production and there will be no emission of causticized
slurry. Waste water will be recycled in a loop with zero
discharge. The product to be produced in the project is heavy
soda ash. Heavy soda ash only accounts for 33% of the total soda
ash output in China. The proportion of heavy soda ash in China
is planned to increase to 60% in 2010.