Published April 2024
Sodium carbonate, also known as disodium carbonate or soda ash, is a member of the chlor-alkali chemical family and competes with caustic soda as a source of alkali (sodium oxide) in many processes. Commercial soda ash is highly purified and is sold in various grades that differ primarily in bulk density. Sodium carbonate is produced synthetically and from natural resources (primarily trona). In 2024, synthetic methods account for about 67% of production, but production from natural resources has recently increased the fastest, led by increased capacity in mainland China.
Northeast Asia (led by mainland China), North America (led by the United States) and the Middle East (led by Turkey) are the world’s leading producing regions. Production will increase the fastest in mainland China and the United States in 2024–29, while production in Western Europe will continue to decline. Production in Central Europe and Africa will grow only marginally.
The following chart shows world consumption of sodium carbonate:
The leading consuming regions are Northeast Asia (led by mainland China), North America, Western Europe and the Indian Subcontinent (led by India). The leading applications for sodium carbonate are the production of glass, chemicals, soaps and detergents (including STPP), and alumina and metals mining. Use in the production of lithium carbonate is the fastest-growing application, primarily in the production of lithium-ion batteries. The production of glass accounts for about 60% of global sodium carbonate consumption in 2024; all applications are forecast to grow during 2024–29, with overall consumption increasing at 2%-3% per year.
For more detailed information, see the table of contents, shown below.
S&P Global’s Chemical Economics Handbook – CEH Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) is the comprehensive and trusted guide for anyone seeking information on this industry. This latest report details global and regional information, including
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