Resumen de Increased alumina production to support caustic soda demand
Rising alumina output up to 2025 will also lift caustic soda consumption, as the latter is used during the production process, research consultancy Roskill said during its Salt 2017 conference.
Growing alumina production will support caustic soda demand, research consultancy Roskill said during its conference in Dusseldorf, Germany, on 29 March.
Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) is used to dissolve bauxite for alumina production, and this is the largest single application for caustic soda, Roskill analyst Kerry Satterthwaite said during the presentation.
Caustic soda is produced during the chlor-alkali process, which involves the electrolysis of purified salt brine to produce chlorine (Cl2 ) and caustic soda, along with co-product hydrogen gas.
With alumina production forecast to grow from 112.4m tonnes in 2015 to 167.9m tonnes by 2025, caustic soda consumption will also increase, from 11.2m tonnes to 16.8m tonnes during the same period, according to Roskill.
This article from the May Industrial Minerals magazine was first published online on 31 March 2017.
