Non-energy Minerals - Sodium

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leases certain solid minerals, including sodium, potassium, potash, trona, and phosphate on public lands.  These lands include areas managed by the BLM and the Forest Service.  BLM also leases these minerals on certain private lands in which the federal government owns the mineral rights for those areas.


Most of the minerals leased under this program are used to make fertilizer and as feed stock (mineral supplement for livestock),  for other industrial processes.  In some areas where the federal government has acquired the land, BLM leases base and precious metals under this program. You can find the regulations that govern the leasing of solid minerals (other than coal or oil shale) in Title 43 of the Code of Federal regulations (CFR), Part 3500, or at this website: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_06//43cfrv2_06.html

Minerals Home

Sodium

Currently, “Natural Soda” is an active in-situ sodium operation in western Colorado that produces pure natural sodium bicarbonate from nahcolite leases which cover 9,400 acres.  This plant is one of the largest producers of sodium bicarbonate in North America, and its mining facility is located in Piceance Creek Basin, atop the largest known, naturally-occurring, commercial deposit of sodium bicarbonate in North America.  The Natural Soda plant was completed in 1991 and began production that same year. It was designed to produce 125,000 tons annually.

Natural Soda recovers sodium bicarbonate using a process known as solution mining.  This involves pumping hot water 1,900 feet underground to dissolve the underlying nahcolite beds and return the saturated liquid to the surface.  By reducing the temperature of the liquid, sodium bicarbonate is crystallized in solution.  Excess water is then removed by high speed centrifuging (spin drying).  The resultant damp crystal mass is further dried, screened, and packed in accordance with industry designated specifications.  The product is then packaged in 50 lb bags, or in bulk, and is transported to customers by truck or rail. 
 
Natural Soda can produce five U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP) grades of sodium bicarbonate in addition to both industrial and animal feed grades.  Most products are distributed throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.