Soda Ash - Market Review

Soda ash, or sodium carbonate, is produced in two main forms with differing specific gravities - dense and light. Dense material is preferred for glass making uses and light ash used more for chemicals and detergents. Dense soda ash has coarser, granular particles, whicha re closely matched to silica sand grain sizes resulting in a homogenous sand/soda ash mix in the glass furnace. The glass industry still accounts for the majority of soda ash consumption worldwide, and in most countries and regions, glass accounts for about 55-60% of the market.