# 2010 Minerals Yearbook

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey 

# SODA ASH [ADVANCE RELEASE]

September 2011SODA ASH—2010 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 70.1 

# S ODA 

# A SH
By Dennis S. Kostick

Domestic survey data and tables were prepared by Martha L. Jackson, statistical assistant, and the world production table was prepared by Lisa D. Miller, international data coordinator.

The U.S. soda ash industry began to rebound in 2010 after experiencing a decline in domestic and export sales caused by adverse global economic conditions in 2009 in the major soda ash-consuming sectors. Although the annual average unit value of soda ash fell in 2010, soda ash production and exports increased. The total value of U.S. soda ash production was $1.36 billion (table 1).

Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate (Na 2 

### CO 3 

### ), is an alkali chemical re fi ned from the mineral trona or naturally occurring sodium-carbonate-bearing brines (the soda ash from both is referred to as natural soda ash) or manufactured from one of several chemical processes (the soda ash from this process is referred to as synthetic soda ash).

Soda ash is an important industrial compound used to manufacture chemicals, glass, pulp and paper, soaps and detergents, and many other familiar consumer products. The United States has the world’s largest natural deposit of trona and is the world’s second ranked soda ash-producing nation. U.S. natural soda ash is extremely competitive in world markets because the majority of the world output of soda ash is made synthetically, which is usually a more expensive process.

Production

Soda ash production and inventory data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from monthly, quarterly, and annual voluntary surveys of the U.S. soda ash industry. A survey request was sent to each of the fi ve soda ash companies, all of which responded, representing 100% of the total production data in this report (table 1).

The United States remained the world’s second ranked soda ash-producing nation in 2010. After more than a century of the United States leading in the world’s production of soda ash, China overtook the United States in 2003, and it appeared that China would continue to be the world’s leader for the foreseeable future. U.S. production of natural soda ash from California and Wyoming was 10.6 million metric tons (Mt) in 2010. Based on about 14.5 million metric tons per year (Mt/yr) (16 million short tons per year) of total nameplate production capacity, the U.S. soda ash industry operated at 73% of total capacity. This capacity utilization rate appears to be low because it is calculated partially based on the full nameplate capacity of 900,000 metric tons per year (t/yr) (1 million short tons per year) for Solvay Chemicals, Inc.’s Parachute, CO, plant; 816,000 t/yr (900,000 short tons per year) for OCI Chemical Corp.’s plant; and 726,000 t/yr (800,000 short tons per year) for FMC Corp.’s Granger plant, some of which included nameplate capacity idled since 2009.

Approximately 2.45 Mt/yr of nameplate capacity (2.70 million short tons per year), which represented about 17% of total industry nameplate capacity, was idled in 2010. This available capacity could be brought back online when market conditions improve. The U.S. soda ash industry used the term “effective capacity” to minimize the effect that “mothballed capacity” had on operating rates. This resulted in higher capacity utilization percentages. Individual effective capacity data are not publicly disclosed. Producers use nameplate capacities to determine export allocations set by a U.S. export association, the American Natural Soda Ash Corp. (ANSAC).

The U.S. soda ash industry consisted of fi ve companies in 2010—four companies operating fi ve plants in Wyoming that produced soda ash from underground trona ore and onein California that produced soda ash from sodium-carbonaterich brines. Solvay operated a plant in Wyoming and a plant in Colorado, which was mothballed in September 2004 but continued sodium bicarbonate production using soda ash feedstock from the company’s Wyoming soda ash facility.

Each of the U.S. companies is either wholly owned or partially owned by foreign soda ash-producing companies or foreign soda ash consumers. The U.S. soda ash industry was 62% foreign owned and 38% domestically owned. At yearend, the countries and percentage ownership were India, 34%; Belgium, 31%; Japan, 18%; and the Republic of Korea, 17% (table 2).

Consumption

The USGS collects soda ash consumption data by end use on a quarterly basis from the marketing and sales departments of each company. Every effort has been made to categorize company sales within the correct end-use sector. Quarterly reports are often revised in subsequent quarters because of customer reclassi fi cations or other factors. All U.S. soda ash companies responded to the quarterly surveys; data represented 100% of the total reported consumption data found in this report.

In 2010, U.S. apparent consumption and reported consumption were virtually identical. Apparent consumption of soda ash was 5.20 Mt; reported consumption was 5.27 Mt (table 1). Reported consumption and apparent consumption do not necessarily correspond because reported consumption is sales reported by producers, whereas apparent consumption is the calculated quantity available for domestic consumption based on balancing supply (production, imports, and inventory adjustments) with external demand (exports).

When the two types of consumption do not closely correspond, the difference is usually attributed to a discrepancy in the export data that were used to derive consumption statistics. The two sources for export data were the U.S. Census Bureau, which reports exports upon departure from U.S. ports, and the California and Wyoming soda ash producers, which consider shipments to be exported when their export association,70.2 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2010 

### ANSAC, takes consignment of the product at the Wyoming plant sites. Transit times between the plant and port, which can be about 2 to 3 weeks before the cargo is actually exported, and carryover export inventories contribute to the discrepancy between reported and apparent consumption as well.

In the domestic market, large-volume buyers of soda ash were primarily the major glass container manufacturers whose purchases were seasonal (more beverage containers are made in the second and third quarters for summertime beverage consumption). Soda ash sales to the fl at glass sector depended more on the state of the economy because the leading uses of fl at glass were in automobile manufacture and residential housing and commercial building construction. These two major industrial sectors are especially sensitive to changing economic conditions, and soda ash sales follow trends in the two sectors. The distribution of soda ash by end use in 2010 was glass, 48%; chemicals, 29%; soap and detergents, 10%; distributors, 5%; fl ue gas desulfurization, 4%; other uses and pulp and paper, 2% each; and water treatment, less than 1% (table 3).

Chemicals. —Soda ash is used to manufacture many sodium-base inorganic chemicals, including sodium bicarbonate, sodium chromates, sodium phosphates, and sodium silicates.

Glass. —Glass manufacture represented about 48% of domestic soda ash consumption as follows: container, 51%; fl at, 38%; fi ber, 6%, and other, 5%. Glass containers are made for beverages (beer, carbonated, and noncarbonated drinks), chemical and household products, food, liquor, medical products, and toiletries and cosmetics.

Soaps and Detergents. —Detergents were the third ranked use of soda ash. Soda ash was used as a builder to emulsify oil stains, to reduce the redeposition of dirt during washing and rinsing, to provide alkalinity for cleaning, and to soften laundry water. In addition, soda ash was a component of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), another major builder in detergent formulations. Soda ash consumption has been decreasing because phosphatic detergents can contribute to eutrophication, which is an environmental concern. Many regions of the Nation have adopted phosphate limitations or bans, affecting about 40% of the U.S. population.

In response to the environmental concern that cardboard detergent packaging contributes to the volume of land fi ll waste, detergent manufacturers changed formulations to make compact and superconcentrated products. These reformulations required sodium silicates and synthetic zeolites, which are made from soda ash. Liquid detergents, which do not contain any soda ash, competed with powdered detergents and commanded about 50% of the household laundry detergent market in 2010.

Stocks

Yearend 2010 stocks of dense soda ash in domestic plant silos, terminals, warehouses, and on teamtracks amounted to 220,000 metric tons (t). Producers indicated that a potential supply problem could exist if inventories fell below 180,000 t. Most consumers of soda ash did not have the storage facilities to accommodate large quantities of soda ash and had to rely on suppliers to provide the material on a timely basis. Prices

The annual average value in 2010 for bulk, dense natural soda ash, free on board (f.o.b.) Green River, WY, and Searles Valley, CA, was $128.39 per metric ton ($116.47 per short ton), which was a 10% decrease from the record high of $143.17 per ton ($129.88 per short ton) set in 2009. Part of the price decrease was because export prices in 2010 declined. The value is not a “price,” but rather the value of the combined revenue of California and Wyoming bulk, dense soda ash sold on an f.o.b. plant basis at list, spot, or discount prices, on long-term contracts, and for export, divided by the quantity of soda ash sold. Only merchant soda ash is used to derive the annual value; therefore, no soda ash for value-added products or soda liquors is included. The list prices quoted in trade journals or by producers differed from the annual average values reported to and by the USGS.

In May, FMC announced a soda ash price increase of $10 per short ton effective July 1, 2010, or as contracts allowed for all grades of soda ash. The company stated the increase was necessary to “recover cost increases and to support continued investment in the business.” The new list price for bulk, dense soda ash was $260 per short ton (FMC Corp., 2010a).

In September, FMC again announced another $10 per short ton rise effective November 1, 2010, or as contracts permit, for all grades of soda ash (FMC Corp., 2010b).

General Chemical (Soda Ash) Partners raised its list price of soda ash on September 7, effective immediately or as contract terms permit, by $10 per short ton to $260 per short ton (General Chemical Industrial Products, 2010).

Foreign Trade

The majority of U.S. soda ash exports were controlled by ANSAC, which is involved exclusively in the export trade of soda ash, de fi ned as an alkali product designated by the chemical formula Na 2 

### CO 3 

### , whether manufactured by brine evaporation and puri fi cation, Solvay process, trona re fi ning, or any other means. Under the Treaty of Rome agreement (1958), ANSAC is not permitted to ship soda ash to the European Union (EU); however, the members of the U.S. soda ash industry formed another organization for shipping to this region. It is the American-European Soda Ash Shipping Association, Inc. (AESSA) that is engaged solely in storage, transportation, and other related logistical and technical support activities to promote and further its members’ individual commerce in soda ash being shipped to the EU. Both ANSAC and AESSA were formed as Webb-Pomerene export associations under the authority of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

In August, ANSAC announced it would raise prices of soda ash for export by $30 per metric ton on a worldwide basis effective October 1, 2010. The action was a result of strong demand for soda ash around the world (ANSAC, 2010).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. soda ash exports for 2010 were 5.39 Mt, which represented about 51% of U.S. soda ash production. For comparison, exports accounted for only 5% of U.S. production in 1970, 13% in 1980, 26% in 1990, and 38% in 2000. In 2010, the regional percentage distribution of U.S. exports to 56 countries, was South America, 28%;SODA ASH—2010 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 70.3 

### Asia, 27%; North America, 20%; Europe, 11%; Africa, 6%; the Middle East, 4%; Oceania, 2%; Central America, 1%; and the Caribbean, negligible (table 5). The average free alongside ship value was $164.38 per metric ton in 2010 compared with $190.02 per ton in 2009. Although the data in tables 1 and 6 are rounded to three signi fi cant digits, the unit values listed in table 6 are based on the unrounded statistics. The 10 leading countries, representing 67% of total U.S. soda ash exports, in decreasing order and percentage of total were Mexico, 17%; Brazil, 13%; Indonesia, 9%; Canada, 5%; Chile, 5%; Taiwan, 5%; Venezuela, 5%; Japan, 4%; Republic of Korea, 4%; and Belgium, 3% (table 6). About 43% of all U.S. soda ash exports went through the Columbia-Snake River customs district in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, the Port Arthur, TX, customs district was the second-ranked customs district with 31% of the total, and the Laredo, TX, customs district was third with 12% of the total (table 5).

Imports of soda ash increased to 19,700 t in 2010 and came from 13 countries according to U.S. Census Bureau data. In 2010, 88% of soda ash imports were from: Turkey (51%); China (18%); the United Kingdom (10%); and Mexico (9%). The remaining 12% of imports was from Belgium, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, and Romania. The Dominican Republic and Hong Kong were listed as sources; however, both countries do not produce soda ash. It is possible that the entry was erroneous or that the product was transshipped from another location. The average cost, insurance, and freight value of imported soda ash was $292.53 per ton, and the customs value was $249.64 per ton.

World Review

Soda ash is a mature commodity in which consumption tends to increase in proportion to population and gross domestic product growth rates. For this reason, the leading consumers of soda ash were, for the most part, developed nations with lower growth rates compared with those of developing countries. The developing nations tend to use less soda ash than developed nations but have higher growth rates. Although the production and consumption quantities varied among the countries, the end-use patterns were basically the same: glass, chemicals, and detergents were the major sectors.

In 2010, world soda ash production was estimated to be 47.5 Mt, which was a 7% increase from that of 2009. Of the 29 countries that produce natural and synthetic soda ash, the United States was the world’s second-ranked producer, accounting for 22% of total world output. Only Botswana, China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Turkey, and the United States produce soda ash from natural sources; the remaining 23 nations manufacture soda ash through various chemical processes, primarily the Solvay process. Total world natural soda ash production represented about 26% of combined world soda ash production.

Eight countries produced more than 1 Mt/yr of soda ash. They were, in descending order, China, the United States, Russia, India, Turkey, Germany, Poland, and France (table 7). Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine had production installations that were rated at about 1 Mt/yr; adverse economic conditions, however, caused these nations to produce below their facilities’ design capacities. The fi ve top total soda ash-producing nations accounted for 79% of world production in 2010.

India. —The Government decided to reimpose an import duty on soda ash imports from China to reduce imports of less expensive soda ash and to protect its domestic industry. India imposed a 20% duty on imports of soda ash in April 2009 as recommended by India’s Directorate General of Safeguards, which was part of the country’s fi nance ministry. The extension of the import duty was expected to be contested by India’s detergent and glass industries, which have higher raw material and production costs (Industrial Minerals, 2010).

Saudi Arabia. —Plans were announced in late December for the construction of the fi rst synthetic soda ash plant to be constructed in Jubail II Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. IDEA International Co. planned to build a plant that would produce 500,000 t of soda ash and 575,000 t of calcium chloride annually. About 51 hectares of land had already been acquired for the facility (O’Driscoll, 2010).

Outlook

The country economies that began to turn down in 2008 that affected soda ash-consuming industries throughout 2009, began to slowly recover in 2010. This decrease in soda ash consumption had caused domestic and foreign soda ash producers to reduce soda ash production. However, glass container and fl at glass production began to increase, which stimulated world soda ash production and consumption. Three dominant groups have survived to become the world leaders in soda ash—Solvay S.A. of Belgium, ANSAC of the United States (which represented three of the fi ve domestic producers in 2010), and Chinese producers. India has emerged recently as a major leader in world soda ash production as well and will probably compete in the export markets with the other groups. The new natural soda ash facility in Turkey that came onstream in 2009 may double capacity by 2012 to serve markets in the Middle East and northern Africa. This could result in additional competition in that region for U.S. soda ash producers.

With the start of the recovery in the U.S. economy, U.S. soda ash production for 2012 through 2014 is expected to increase. Global economic problems are expected to ease slowly in the next 2 years to stimulate domestic soda ash production and export sales. The United States likely will continue to compete with Chinese soda ash producers in the Far Eastern markets. U.S. soda ash exports in 2011 may increase, causing domestic soda ash production to increase slightly. Increases in world consumption are forecast to range from 2.0% to 2.5% per year for 2012 through 2014. Asia and South America remain the likeliest areas for increased soda ash consumption in the near future.

References Cited

ANSAC, 2010, ANSAC prices on soda ash to increase $30.00/mt worldwide:

ANSAC press release, August 20, 1 p. (Accessed Septembr 14, 2010, at http://www.ansac.com/news/price-increase-100820.) FMC Corp., 2010a, FMC increases soda ash prices: Philadelphia, PA, FMC

Corp. news release, May 24, 1 p. (Accessed September 14, 2010,at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=117919&p=irolnewsArticle&ID=1430557&highlight.)70.4 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2010 FMC Corp., 2010b, FMC increases soda ash prices: Philadelphia, PA, FMC

Corp. news release, September 20, 1 p. (Accessed September 21, 2010, at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.

zhtml?c=117919&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1473116&highlight=.) General Chemical Industrial Products, 2010, [untitled]: General Chemical

Industrial Products, September 7, 1 p. (Accessed September 13, 2010, at http://www.genchem.com/news-and-company-info.asp.) Industrial Minerals, 2010, India re-imposes soda ash duty: Industrial Minerals,

July 2. (Accessed August 25, 2009, via http://www.indmin.com/.) O’Driscoll, Michael, 2010, First Saudi Arabian soda ash plant planned for

Jubail: Industrial Minerals, December 2. (Accessed December 2, 2010, at http://www.indmin.com/Article/2724564/ first-Saudi-Arabian-soda-ash-plantplanned-for Jubail.html.)



### GENERAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

U.S. Geological Survey Publications

Evaporites and Brines. Ch. in United States Mineral Resources,

Professional Paper 820, 1973. Soda Ash. Ch. in Mineral Commodity Summaries, annual. Soda Ash. Mineral Industry Surveys, monthly. Other

Chemical and Engineering News. Chemical Marketing Reporter. Chemical Week. Engineering and Mining Journal, commodities survey. Industrial Minerals. Manufacture of Soda. American Chemical Society Monograph

Series, 1942. Natural Soda Ash. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992. Proceedings of the First International Soda Ash Conference.

Wyoming State Geological Survey, 1998. Soda Ash. Ch. in Industrial Minerals and Rocks, Society for

Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 1994. Soda Ash. Mining Engineering, annual review of industrial

minerals (June issue). Soda Ash and Sodium Sulfate. Ch. in Mineral Facts and

Problems, U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 675, 1985.

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 United States:

Production:

Soda ash:

Quantity 11,000 11,100 11,300 9,310 10,600 Value 1,170,000 1,260,000 1,520,000 1,330,000 1,360,000 Value, average annual:

Per short ton $96.64 $103.53 $122.11 $129.88 $116.47 Per metric ton $106.53 $114.12 $134.60 $143.17 $128.39 Wyoming trona 16,700 17,200 17,800 15,100 15,900 Exports:

Quantity 4,820 5,130 5,370 4,410 5,400 Value 736,000 734,000 939,000 838,000 886,000 Imports for consumption:

Quantity 7 9 13 6 20 Value 2,290 2,760 3,820 2,350 5,770 Stocks, December 31, producers 290 206 259 217 220 Consumption:

Apparent 6,100 6,030 5,860 4,950 5,200 Reported 6,110 5,940 5,700 5,020 5,270 World, production e 43,700 r 45,900 r 46,700 r 44,300 r 47,500 TABLE 1

SALIENT SODA ASH STATISTICS 1

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars except average annual value)

e Estimated. r Revised.

1 Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits, except average annual value.SODA ASH—2010 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 70.5 Wyoming Wyoming
Soda ash trona 2 Soda ash trona 2 January 805 1,160 877 1,530 February 670 2,020 814 1,260 March 739 983 845 1,300 April 670 1,080 876 1,100 May 767 1,180 915 1,410 June 734 1,140 821 1,350 July 794 971 874 1,270 August 827 1,220 948 1,380 September 814 1,250 844 1,280 October 812 1,360 918 1,330 November 826 1,340 911 1,330 December 854 1,380 927 1,420

Total 9,310 15,100 10,600 15,900

not add to totals shown.

2 Includes solution-mined trona. TABLE 2
U.S. PRODUCTION OF SODIUM COMPOUNDS, BY MONTH 1

(Thousand metric tons)

2009 2010

1 Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may

Plant nameplate Source of capacity Plant location sodium carbonate FMC Wyoming Corp.:

Granger 1.30 Granger, WY Underground trona.

Green River 1 3.55 Green River, WY Do. General Chemical (Soda Ash) Partners 2 2.80 do. Do. OCI Chemical Corp. 3 3.10 do. Do. Searles Valley Minerals, Inc. 4 1.45 Trona, CA Dry lake brine. Solvay Chemicals, Inc.: 5

Green River 2.80 Green River, WY Underground trona.

Parachute 6 1.00 Parachute, CO Underground nahcolite.

Total 16.00 Total million metric tons 14.50

per year out of service temporarily for equipment refurbishment.

4 The operation was sold to Nirma Ltd. of India in November 2007.

5 Solvay Soda Ash Joint Venture is owned by Solvay S.A. of Belgium (80%) and Asahi Glass Co. of Japan (20%).

6 Operation purchased on September 10, 2003, from American Soda L.L.P. Soda ash plant idled indefinitely. Do., do. Ditto.

1 Formed joint venture (20%) in February 1996 with Sumitomo Corp. and Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd., both of Japan.

2 A joint venture between General Chemical Corp. (75%) and Owens-Illinois, Inc. (25%). Tata Chemicals Ltd. of India in January 20 08 purchased the 75% share of General Chemical Industrial Products, Inc.

3 Owned by DC Chemical Co., Ltd. of the Republic of Korea (51%) and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (49%). An 800,000-short-ton expansio n brought onstream in November 1998 increased plant capacity to 3.1 million short tons per year; however, the company took 900,00 0 short tons TABLE 3
U.S. PRODUCERS OF SODA ASH IN 2010

(Million short tons unless otherwise noted)

Company70.6 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2010 NAICS 2 First Second Third Fourth

code End use 2009 quarter quarter quarter quarter Total 3272 Glass: 327213 Container 1,320 323 323 325 312 1,280
327211 Flat 800 219 241 259 247 965
327993 Fiber 141 34 36 35 34 139
327212 Other 111 26 30 31 32 119 Total 2,370 602 629 650 625 2,510 32518 Chemicals 1,430 371 367 385 396 1,520 325611 Soaps and detergents 508 132 125 133 124 513 322 Pulp and paper 103 22 23 22 21 89
221310 Water treatment 3 49 12 13 11 10 46 56221 Flue gas desulfurization 152 48 42 54 47 191
422 Distributors 249 67 68 67 70 271
Other 156 34 36 34 35 138

Total domestic consumption 4 5,020 1,290 1,300 1,360 1,330 5,270 Exports 5 4,520 1,310 1,350 1,310 1,400 5,360

Canada 252 63 54 51 64 231 Total industry sales 6 9,540 2,590 2,650 2,670 2,730 10,600 Total sales from plants 9,450 2,610 2,690 2,720 2,770 10,800 Total production 9,310 2,540 2,610 2,670 2,760 10,600

coproducers and distributed by purchasers into appropriate end-use categories. 3 Includes soda ash equivalent from soda liquors and purge liquors sold to powerplant for water treatment. Sales of mine water ar e excluded.

4 Imports reported by the producer/importer have been distributed into appropriate end-use categories listed above.

5 As reported by producers; includes Canada. Data may not necessarily agree with those reported by the U.S. Census Bureau for the same periods.

6 Represents soda ash from domestic origin (production and inventory changes) and imports and exports. Includes soda ash sold by TABLE 4 REPORTED CONSUMPTION OF SODA ASH IN THE UNITED STATES, BY END USE, BY QUARTER 1

(Thousand metric tons)

2010

1 Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2 North American Industry Classification System.SODA ASH—2010 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 70.7North Central South Middle PercentageCustoms districts America America America Caribbean Europe East Africa Asia Oceania Total of totalAtlantic:Miami, FL -- 173 263 116 -- -- -- -- -- 552(2)New York, NY -- -- -- -- 353 -- -- 7 -- 360(2)Norfolk, VA -- -- -- -- 196 -- -- -- -- 196(2)Philadelphia, PA -- -- -- -- 24 -- -- -- -- 24(2)Savannah, GA -- -- 36 -- 176 -- -- -- -- 212(2)Gulf:Houston-Galveston, TX -- 20 11,100 16 205 -- 253 -- -- 11,600(2)Mobile, AL -- -- -- -- 28 -- -- -- -- 28(2)New Orleans, LA -- -- 19 -- -- -- -- -- -- 19(2)Port Arthur, TX -- 10,500 882,000 1,000 442,000 24,700 312,000 8,240 -- 1,680,000 31North-central:Chicago, IL -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 46 -- 46(2)Cleveland, OH 14 -- -- -- 32 -- -- -- -- 46(2)Detroit, MI 185,000 -- -- -- 62 -- -- -- -- 185,000 3Duluth, MN 3,360 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3,360(2)Great Falls, MT 23,300 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 23,300(2)Pembina, ND 2,960 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2,960(2)Northeast:Buffalo, NY 11,800 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 11,800(2)Ogdensburg, NY 1,330 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1,330(2)Portland, ME 89 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 89(2)Pacific:Anchorage, AK 6,120 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 6,120(2)Columbia-Snake River, ID-OR-WA -- 60,700 327,000 -- 166,000 188,000 -- 1,460,000 116,000 2,310,000 43Los Angeles, CA -- 19 298,000 -- 5,450 1,350 20 2,240 80 307,000 6San Diego, CA 58,900 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 58,900 1Seattle, WA 18,000 -- -- -- -- -- -- 524 -- 18,500(2)Southwest:Dallas-Fort Worth, TX -- -- -- -- -- -- 7 -- -- 7(2)El Paso, TX 142,000 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --142,000 3Laredo, TX 622,000 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 622,000 12Unknown 444 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 444(2)Total 1,080,000 71,400 1,520,000 1,130 615,000 214,000 312,000 1,470,000 116,000 5,400,000 100Percentage of total 20 1 28(2)11 4 6 27 2 100 XXSource: U.S. Census Bureau, as adjusted by the U.S. Geological Survey using data and information from the Journal of Commerce PIERS trade service and industry sources.TABLE 5REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF U.S. SODA ASH EXPORTS, BY CUSTOMS DISTRICTS, IN 20101(Metric tons)XX Not applicable. -- Zero.1Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.2Less than 1⁄2 unit.70.8 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2010 Quantity Quantity (thousand Value 2 Unit (thousand Value 2 Unit Country metric tons) (thousands) value metric tons) (thousands) value Argentina 116 $24,500 $211 82 $13,100 $160 Australia 92 20,200 220 87 15,800 182 Bahrain -- -- -- 1 168 168 Belgium 234 36,500 156 175 22,300 128 Brazil 506 104,000 205 701 113,000 161 Canada 272 56,700 208 253 52,400 207 Chile 212 41,600 196 272 45,300 167 China 32 2,070 65 -- -- -- Colombia 68 13,800 203 128 19,100 150 Costa Rica 27 7,010 260 19 3,640 192 Dominican Republic 6 1,500 250 1 173 173 Ecuador 23 5,430 236 27 4,160 154 Egypt 6 605 101 25 2,690 107 El Salvador 6 1,320 220 10 1,670 167 France 56 7,920 141 42 6,080 145 Guatemala 19 4,150 218 35 6,080 174 India 3 660 220 8 1,730 216 Indonesia 282 41,800 148 457 64,100 140 Italy 10 1,730 173 -- -- -- Japan 213 41,200 193 229 33,200 145 Korea, Republic of 138 25,100 182 229 35,900 157 Lithuania 72 10,200 142 122 16,700 137 Malaysia 31 5,990 193 49 8,540 174 Mexico 758 171,000 225 823 175,000 212 Namibia -- -- -- 2 263 132 Netherlands 166 28,600 172 137 18,700 137 New Zealand 25 5,010 200 29 4,920 170 Panama 9 2,100 233 8 1,430 179 Peru 43 9,110 212 57 9,010 158 Philippines 43 6,250 145 62 9,070 146 Portugal 62 7,560 122 49 5,960 122 Saudi Arabia 117 20,300 173 116 15,200 131 South Africa 82 13,300 162 162 18,100 112 Spain 116 17,300 149 61 8,440 138 Taiwan 160 25,200 157 252 39,600 157 Thailand 148 24,200 163 142 18,800 133 Tunisia 33 3,760 114 149 17,900 120 United Arab Emirates 58 11,400 196 72 11,400 158 United Kingdom -- -- -- 29 5,350 185 Venezuela 158 38,900 246 252 55,500 220 Vietnam 6 823 137 38 5,370 141
Other 1 r 407 r 407 r 1 274 274

Total 4,410 838,000 190 5,400 886,000 164

1 Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits, except unit value; may not add to totals shown.

2 Free alongside ship value.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, as adjusted by the U.S. Geological Survey using data and information from the Journal of Commerce Port Import-Export Reporting Service and industry sources. TABLE 6
U.S. EXPORTS OF SODA ASH, BY COUNTRY 1

2009 2010

r Revised. -- Zero.SODA ASH—2010 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 70.9 Country 3 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Argentina 161 4

-- -- -- -- Australia 310 310 310 310 310 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11 11 11 11 11
Botswana 5 250 250 250 250 250 Brazil 200 200 200 200 200 Bulgaria 800 800 800 800 800
Chad 6 12 12 12 12 12 China 15,600 4 17,720 4 18,540 r, 4 19,350 4 20,290 4 Egypt 50 50 50 50 50 Ethiopia 7 4 ( 8 ) 4 4 r, 4 4 r, 4 5 France 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 Germany 2,587 r, 4 2,595 r, 4 2,715 r, 4 2,291 r, 4 2,539 4
India 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500
Iran 130 140 140 140 140 Italy 500 500 500 500 500 Japan 400 400 400 400 400 Kenya 5 374 r, 4 387 4 513 4 405 4 460 4 Korea, Republic of 310 310 310 310 310 Mexico 290 290 290 290 290 Netherlands 400 400 400 400 400 Pakistan 250 260 250 260 250 Poland 1,177 4 1,192 4 1,190 890 1,000 Portugal 150 150 150 150 150 Romania 453 453 450 400 450 Russia 2,800 2,900 2,800 2,300 2,400 Spain 500 500 500 500 500 Turkey 9 891 4 947 4 949 r, 4 1,079 r, 4 1,500 Ukraine 700 700 700 700 700 United Kingdom 900 900 500 500 500
United States 5 11,000 4 11,000 4 11,300 4 9,310 4 10,600 4

Total 43,700 r 45,900 r 46,700 r 44,300 r 47,500

8 Less than 1⁄2 unit.

9 Production of natural soda ash from Beypazari deposit began in early 2009. 3 In addition to the countries listed, Tanzania may produce soda ash for local consumption; available general information is inad equate for the formulation of reliable estimates of output levels.

4 Reported figure.

5 Natural only.

6 Produced for local consumption only.

7 Data for the Ethiopian calendar year ending July 7 of the year listed. TABLE 7 SODA ASH: ESTIMATED WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY 1, 2

(Thousand metric tons)

r Revised. -- Zero.

1 World totals, U.S. data, and estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2 Table includes data available through April 20, 2011. Synthetic unless otherwise specified.