INDUSTRIAL SALT

Salt is crucial for many industries. Its compounds make it one of the most important materials in the chemical industry, since more than 50% of the chemical products depend on it at a stage of their manufacture. It is also used in the manufacturing of thousands of other commodities including glass, paper, rubber, and textiles as well as in water softening systems for industry and domestic use. Furthermore, it is used as a de-icing agent and as most commonly known food ingredient.

Chemical Applications

The chemical industry is by far the largest consumer of salt. lt is the raw material for the production of chlorine (Cl) and caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH); they are produced by the electrolysis of salt in the form of brine by the mercury cell process, the diaphragm cell process, and the membrane cell process. Chlorine, which is one of the most abundant and common chemical elements on Earth, is an extremely effective disinfectant and essential component in the chemical manufacture of thousands of vitale products used every day, such as PVC (construction and houses), for instance. Caustic soda solution is an essential ingredient in many industrial operations, including pulp and paper, detergent and the chemical processsing industry. It is also used in alumina, petrochemical and textile industries.

Soda ash is one of the three main ingredients for glassmaking, in which it lowers the temperature of the melt. Soda ash is also the raw material for the production of many sodium compounds, such as sodium silicate, sodium bicarbonate and sodium tripolyphospate. Furthermore, the pulp and paper industry uses soda ash in the chemical pulp manufacturing process.

Other applications within the chemical industry include:

  • Pulp and paper industry: For pulping and neutralization; For washing and bleaching; For the processing of waste paper
  • Textiles: For example leather tanning; For the finishing of wool and cotton and for dyeing and bleaching; For deacidification in the production of spun rayon
  • Waste and water treatment
  • Petroleum additives
  • Dyes and intermediates
  • Pharmaceuticals: Salt provides the life essential nutrients sodium and chlorine regulating and impacting many body and hormonal systems. In some medical conditions the ingestions of those nutrients becomes crucial to treat and to reinstall the electrolyte balance in the body. Salt is also used as an ingredient in pharmaceutical products.