Where Quality and Reliability

Always Make the Grade

The World Leader

In Natural Soda Ash
FMC Corporation is the worlds leading producer of natural soda ash,
offering a secure, reliable, diverse range of high quality products.
For over six decades, FMC has been a dependable source of high quality
soda ash from its facilities in Green River, Wyoming. Product quality, supply
reliability, safety and customer service have been the hallmarks of our
companys reputation.
FMCs soda ash operations in Green River, home of the worlds largest
deposits of trona ore, utilize a truly exceptional, multi-disciplined process,
from mining, manufacturing and product development all the way through
product delivery. Constant innovation is part of our guiding philosophy.
Through innovations in mining and processing trona ore into natural soda
ash, FMC has become the industry leader. As the first to produce a lower
cost, environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic soda ash, FMC has
built a solid track record of meeting the needs of customers in a wide range
of industries such as glass manufacturing, detergent formulation, chemical
manufacturing, pulp and paper production, and water treatment.
Our team of research specialists continues to develop innovative mining and
processing techniques that are revolutionizing the way soda ash is produced,
bringing this vital and versatile product to our customers in a more costeffective, environmentally friendly manner.

www.fmcchemicals.com

History
Fifty million years ago, southwestern Wyoming, including the land now
occupied by FMCs Green River facility, was covered by a landlocked lake.
As the earth changed through the ages, the lake evaporated and left behind
a 200-billion ton deposit of pure trona wedged between layers of clay and
shale.This is the worlds largest known deposit of trona.Trona is a mineral
that is chemically sodium sesquicarbonate, and is the source of both the
sodium and the carbonate used to manufacture soda ash.
This monumental deposit was first mined by FMC in 1948. Today the mine,
located 1,500 feet below the surface, contains nearly 3500 miles of tunnels
and covers 36 square miles. In the early 1950s, FMC began producing
soda ash at the worlds first natural soda ash processing plant. Since those
pioneering days, FMC has become the largest producer of natural soda ash
in the world.

Responsible Care,
Sustainability & Safety
A prehistoric rock called
trona. Trona, a mineral
primarily containing sodium
sesquicarbonate, is mined and
processed into sodium carbonate,
commonly known as soda ash, at
our Green River facility. The origin
of trona dates back fifty million
years, when the area was covered
by the 600 square-mile landlocked inland sea Lake Goshuite.
As the earths climate changed
and water evaporated, trona
was deposited. This process left
behind more than 200 billion tons
of trona wedged between layers
of clay and shale. FMCs facility at
Green River sits atop a reserve of
trona large enough to meet alkali
demand for many decades
to come.

FMC places the highest priority on our commitment to the environment and
to the dedicated people who work at our facilities. FMC has a responsibility
to protect the health and safety of our employees, business partners,
neighbors and customers. Maintaining a safe and healthy work environment
is paramount to the operation of our business. Protecting our most precious
resource, our employees, prevents injury, which sustains the performance
of our business and maintains the trust of the communities in which
we operate.
Natural soda ash production is substantially less energy intensive and
produces less harmful pollutants than synthetic methods. We strive
continuously to incorporate safety and health into every part of our
companys work culture. FMC is engaging in sustainable innovation by
maximizing the use of less toxic and safer materials in the design and
development of new products; and where possible, working to replace
existing products and chemistries with ones that are more benign or
more beneficial. FMC is a signatory to Responsible Care as set forth by
the American Chemistry Council in the US and committed to complying
with the seven functional areas of Responsible Care: Pollution Prevention,
Process Safety, Employee Health and Safety, Community Awareness and
Emergency Response, Distribution Stewardship, Product Stewardship
and Security.

Production
Mining
As you walk across the ground at our Green River facility, its hard to imagine the
tremendous activity taking place beneath your feet. Fifteen hundred feet below
the ground and accessed through one of several FMC mine shafts, is an aroundthe-clock mining operation.
FMC pioneered longwall mining for the natural soda industry by adapting this
efficient coal mining technique to trona mining. A powerful longwall shearing
machine moves along a 750 foot wide face of the trona seam, removing trona with
cutting drums. The recovered trona is then dropped onto a continuous conveyor
system and moved to the surface. The longwall method extracts 50% more of the
trona deposit than traditional mining methods.

FMC offers a wide variety

of soda ash grades for a
spectrum of applications
and uses. By offering
the broadest selection
of grades, FMC provides
our customers with
exceptional application
specificity and flexibility.
FMC was the first to
produce light density
soda ash and continues
to offer the most natural
grades available.

In addition to mechanical mining, FMC developed and patented solution mining

technology. In our current implementation of this technology, water and insoluble
tailings are injected into mined out areas that still hold unrecovered trona.
Water dissolves the residual trona, forming an alkali-rich solution which is then
pumped back to the surface for processing. The result is a high-purity, low-cost
soda ash that dramatically increases our ability to deliver value and volume to
the world markets.
Advanced mining techniques have been one cornerstone of our success. Over the
years these methods have enabled FMC to stay a step ahead of the competition
and economically expand our capacity to meet growing market demands.

Manufacturing
FMCs Green River, Wyoming surface operation is the worlds largest natural
soda ash facility. FMC has five surface plants capable of producing nearly
5 million short tons of soda ash per year. FMC manufactures soda ash using
three different processes.
FMCs proprietary sesquicarbonate sesqui processing method has been
utilized by this facility since 1953. The sesqui process begins as trona ore is
crushed and dissolved.The insolubles are separated and removed, and the
trona is crystallized as pure sodium sesquicarbonate. Finally, these crystals
are heated in calciners to produce soda ash.
FMCs patented monohydrate mono production method differs from the
sesqui process in that the order of processing is reversed. First the trona ore
is heated and then it is dissolved. The insolubles are separated and removed,
and the purified solution is sent to large evaporators where sodium
carbonate monohydrate crystallizes out. Finally, the water is driven off to
leave behind pure anhydrous soda ash crystals.
FMCs newest production method utilizes patented technology to make
soda ash from solution mined liquors. In this process the solution from the
mine is first concentrated through evaporation. It is then reacted with lime
to convert residual sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate. The carbonate
goes through a two-step crystallization process to form first decahydrate
crystals, and then monohydrate crystals. These are then calcined to produce
soda ash.

www.fmcchemicals.com

Applications
Soda ash has been used in manufacturing for over 5,000 years. Ancient
Egyptians recovered the product from dry lake-bed deposits or
manufactured it by burning seaweed and other marine plants. This product
was used to make glass ornaments and vessels. The Romans used soda ash
for baking bread, making glass, and for medicinal purposes.Today, FMC
supplies soda ash to a wide variety of industries.

Glass
Globally, about half of all soda ash is consumed by the glass industry. Flat
glass for autos, homes and buildings, and container glass for consumer
products are the two largest segments. Other products include lighting,
glassware, screens for consumer electronics and solar glass. Soda ash reduces
the melting temperature of the sand used in glass formulations and the alkali
helps aid in the workability or forming of the glass article. FMCs Grade
260 Dense Soda Ash particles are similar in size to silica sand, enabling the
homogeneity of raw materials that is so important in producing a high
quality finished product.
Detergents
Soda ash is widely used in soaps, detergents and other cleaning products. It
is a good source of alkalinity for pH adjustment, a carrier of surfactants and
dyes and an effective precipitating builder for removing hardness ions from
water. In the detergent manufacturing process, soda ash aids agglomeration
and may be used to neutralize the acid form of anionic surfactants. It
enables easier conveying and ideal surfactant loading. Soda ash can also be
hydrated to carry water as a filler and to enhance the storage and dissolving
properties of the detergent. Soda ash is also an ideal high alkalinity builder
for hard surface cleaning compounds and can be used as a source of
alkalinity, buffering agent or water conditioner in mildly concentrated
liquid formulations.

FMCs expertise in natural

soda ash production
enables our customers
to span diverse enduses. Soda ash is used
in manufacturing glass
containers, flat glass,
fiberglass, chemicals,
detergents and pulp and
paper. Other applications
include air and water
treatment, mining, and
petroleum production.

FMC is the only producer of two light density soda ash grades - Grade
100 and AbsorptaPlus. These products find extensive application in the
detergent segment due to their high absorptivity characteristics. Grade
choice depends on the detergent manufacturing process and the
surfactant level desired. Grade 100 soda ash is a standard in industrial
and institutional formulating due to its absorptive properties and ideal
bulk density. AbsorptaPlus has increased absorptivity and advanced
processing characteristics.

Chemicals
Soda ash provides the sodium source for the manufacture of many materials
including sodium percarbonate, sodium phosphates, sodium sulfate, sodium
sulfite, sodium acetate, sodium nitrite, sodium silicate and sodium citrate.
It is also used in the production of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda),
which FMC manufactures as well. Soda ash can also be used as a functional
substitute for caustic soda in applications such as pH adjustment, acid
neutralization, sodium chemicals manufacture, and pulp and
paper processing.

Products
FMC offers the widest variety of natural soda ash grades. Customers can choose
products suited for their unique applications based on bulk density, purity, and
absorptivity characteristics.
Dense Soda Ash
Grade 260
Standard dense soda ash
Grade 160
Specialty dense soda ash with
lower organic content

Light Soda Ash

Grade 100
Light density soda ash with
absorptive properties

Packaging
FMC soda ash is available in bulk railcars
and bulk hopper trucks, as well as 50 lb
bags and supersacks of various sizes. We
also offer customers the convenience and
flexibility of mixed product truckloads
with other alkali products produced at our
Green River, WY manufacturing facility.

FMC pioneered
solution mining used
in both our Westvaco
and Granger facilities.
As the leader in trona
mining and processing,
FMC continues to
develop innovative
mining techniques and
proprietary process
equipment to provide an
even more reliable and
economical alkali supply.

Certifications
ISO 9002, Responsible Care, AWWA,
Kosher, Reach.

AbsorptaPlus
FMCs most absorptive
light density soda ash
Grade 50
Light density soda ash with
very fine particle size

Responsible Care

OptiPro
Light density soda ash for
industrial applications

FMCs goal is to be our customers most

valued supplier by providing the kind
of customer service that steadily builds
long-term relationships. FMCs customers
can expect personal interaction with an
experienced, professional team committed to
understanding and meeting our customers
needs before, during and after a sale.

www.fmcchemicals.com

Tech Support &

Engineering Services
No one knows more about natural soda ash than a company who has been
manufacturing, handling, and storing it successfully for more than 60 years.
FMC has a dedicated sales force to provide general information regarding
the use of soda ash. In addition, our Technical Services Group includes
experts in all soda ash applications. They evaluate product performance in
new and specialized applications, research appropriate grades for various
end uses, and provide technical troubleshooting service. Our Engineering
Services Group will provide design and start-up support for a variety of soda
ash storage and handling systems. Our philosophy is twofold. First, when you
purchase FMC soda ash, we want it to go into your products as pure as the
day it left our plant. Ideal handling and storage can assure this. Second, we
believe this kind of support is necessary to form the long-term partnership
we desire with our customers.

Customer Support
FMCs goal is to be your most valued soda ash supplier by providing the
kind of customer service that steadily builds long-term relationships. Our
highly trained, experienced customer service group is committed to meeting
every customers needs and finding solutions to any challenge.
FMC owns one of the
largest fleets dedicated
to soda ash service.
Offering a customized
supply chain for each
customer, FMCs supplychain expertise is one of
the many value added
services we provide to
our customers.

Order Center
Information technology allows us to process and track orders with great
efficiency. Our on-line customer service center has been designed to extend
these same capabilities to our customers on an around-the-clock basis.
After receiving secure access to FMCs Order Center, you have the ability
to: place, change, and confirm orders; view order status and history; obtain
order-related documents such as an Order Confirmation, a Bill of Lading, a
Certificate of Analysis, and an Invoice; request a sample; and track movement
of railroad shipments.
Vendor Managed Inventory
For rail direct customers, FMC can even manage your inventory. We offer a
Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) process whereby FMC actively monitors
and manages customer inventory and supply chain through the use of a
web-enabled system that integrates order information and real time railcar
tracking. Our customers benefit through reduced order planning and
tracking, reduced working capital, and reduced costs, while assuring high
supply reliability.

Logistics/Transportation
Once youve placed your order, FMCs goal is to make sure you receive it
on time. FMCs North American distribution system consists of a flexible
network of transloaders and approved distributors across the country. The
majority of FMC soda ash moves directly from our plant to customers by
rail. Our transportation department knows the shortest distance between
two points and prides itself on the ability to find the least expensive and
most reliable transportation mode and delivery route. Our experts can also
provide a host of other services:
Freight rates and route analysis to help lower costs or improve service

Access to on-line railcar location tracking to allow you to follow your

rail shipments en route

FMC is a founding
member of American
Natural Soda Ash
Corporation (ANSAC)
which handles FMCs
exports and logistics to
many parts of the globe.
Unit trains are shipped
from Green River to
ports for ocean voyage
in dedicated soda ash
vessels to points around
the world.

Consultation on truck delivery options and methods

International transportation, cost and service analysis
Ocean carrier selection for on-time, economical delivery overseas
FMC maintains its own fleet of dedicated railcars to ensure product quality
and reliable service. Our 5,100 cubic feet capacity cars are impressive with
newly fitted gates to safely speed up unloading, resist leakage, and support
the American Chemistry Councils Responsible Care initiatives.You will save
both time and money with FMCs easy to unload railcars.

www.fmcchemicals.com

Always Making
The Grade
FMC Corporation is the worlds leading producer of natural soda ash
offering a reliable supply of a diverse range of high quality product choices.
FMCs soda ash operations in Green River, Wyoming, home of the worlds
largest deposit of trona ore, utilize a truly exceptional, multi-discipline
process, from mining, manufacturing and product development all the
way through product delivery. Constant innovation is part of our guiding
philosophy.
FMC Corporation is one of the worlds foremost, diversified chemical
companies with leading positions in agricultural, industrial and consumer
markets. From our inception in 1883, FMC has been providing solutions to
the worlds best companies and their customers. Today, we use an array of
advanced technologies in research and development to improve the delivery
of medications; enhance foods and beverages; power batteries; protect crop
yields, structures and lawns; and advance the manufacture of glass, ceramics,
plastics, pulp and paper, textiles and other products.

FMC Corporation
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.fmcchemicals.com
(215) 299.6000

FMC, AbsorptaPlus, Grade 100 and OptiPro are all trademarks of FMC Corporation.
Copyright 2012 FMC Corporation.