ANSAC

Soda ash is one of the most widely used and important commodities in the United States, contributing substantially to the gross domestic product[2] For this reason, the Federal Reserve Board incorporates monthly soda ash production data into monthly economic indicators used to monitor the condition of the US economy

The USA is the world’s largest exporter of soda ash and exported over 5 million tonnes in 2008, which accounted for over 50% of the world’s trade in this commodity

ANSAC ships soda ash to all areas of the globe except North America and Western Europe. In these areas, the member companies use their own sales and distribution services. Its estimated export volume in 2008 was 4 million tonnes, up from around 3 million tonnes in 2000. These volumes make the company the world's largest exporter of natural soda ash.

The soda ash is moved from the plants in Wyoming in a fleet of 4000 rail cars or 40 unit trains to ANSAC’s dedicated ocean terminals in Portland, Oregon and Port Arthur, Texas.

ANSAC has 6 dedicated vessels, including the ANSAC Kathryn, ANSAC Asia, ANSAC Sesoda, ANSAC Splendor, Jasmine Ace & King Yukon The company also uses other vessel chartering arrangements to supply customers all around the world

• The Portland terminal is used to supply customers located in the west coast of Latin & Central America, the Middle-East & Asia
• The Port Arthur terminal is used to supply customers located in the east coast of Latin & Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, & Eastern Europe

The Three leading US manufacturers supplying ANSAC with natural soda ash are:

• Genesis Alkali
• TATA Chemicals (Soda Ash) Partners
• Ciner Chemicals US Corporation

These companies mine and process trona into soda ash in the Green River Basin, Wyoming This area contains the largest reserves of naturally occurring trona on earth, with deposits estimated at 100 billion tons The mines and processing plants operate 24 hours per day, year-round Soda ash production is an economic mainstay of the communities of southwest Wyoming, contributing over $300 million annually

During the processing and production of soda ash, a number of other sodium compounds are made as co-products, including sodium bicarbonatebaking soda, sodium sulfite, sodium tripolyphosphate, and chemical caustic soda

The dense soda ash exported by ANSAC has the following properties:

• Particle size - <75 micrometres
• High sodium carbonate content – Purity levels of at least 99.2% and typically 99.8%
• Low impurity levels – chloride and iron

Fifty percent of the world-wide production of soda ash is earmarked for soda-lime silica glass manufacture, generally used in the flat glass automotive and construction, glass container food and drink and many other glass industries The bulk of ANSAC dense soda ash is supplied to this industry

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The medium dense soda ash exported by ANSAC has the following properties:

• Particle size - 150 micrometres 75%
• High sodium carbonate content – Purity levels of at least 99.2% and typically 99.8%
• Low impurity levels – chloride and iron

Medium dense soda ash dissolves faster than dense soda ash and is typically used as an alternative to Chemical synthesis|synthetic light soda ash in compact detergent manufacture

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