Global sodium carbonate production 2010-2023

In 2023, the world's total production of soda ash was estimated at 65 million metric tons – including both natural and synthetic soda ash. This represented a slight decline from the previous year, when global soda ash production reached a high of 65.5 million metric tons.

What is soda ash?

Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate, is an alkali chemical that is a white, water-soluble salt. The primary source of soda ash is trona ore. It occurs naturally in dry areas that have little to no rain. It is odorless and nontoxic. Soda ash is one of the most common and important commodities in the United States, because of its several uses. These include laundry detergent, glass manufacturing, and paper manufacturing. Human use of soda ash dates back over 5,000 years. Ancient Egyptians used it to make glass ornaments and the Romans used it for baking bread. This chemical is used in three main grades: light, medium, and dense. All have the same chemical properties but differ in physical characteristics.

U.S.A. – United Soda Ash

The U.S. is the world's largest producer of natural soda ash – together with Turkey. In 2023, the U.S. production of soda ash was reported to be some 11 million metric tons. That same year, the consumption of soda ash in the North American country stood at 4.5 million metric tons. Meanwhile, the import volume of soda ash into the U.S. was about 8,000 metric tons in 2023.