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This document has not been fully peer reviewed and <strong>the</strong> <strong>information</strong> within is not validated nor endorsed by <strong>the</strong> TWG on LVIC-S or by <strong>the</strong> European Commission, it is meant for <strong>information</strong>, only A major outlet for sodium sulphate is <strong>the</strong> detergent and cleaning agent industry, where <strong>the</strong>ir free-flowing and preventive anti-caking properties are highly appreciated. O<strong>the</strong>r significant end uses are in <strong>the</strong> glass, textile, food and pharmaceutical industries. The estimated world production of sodium sulphate is 6 million tonnes per year. Total capacity is probably around 9 million tonnes. European production amounts to slightly more than 2 million tonnes and about half of <strong>the</strong> European production is from mining operations (natural sodium sulphate). In Europe, approx. 40 producers of sodium sulphate can currently be identified. Amongst <strong>the</strong>m, four companies are located in Spain and produce natural sodium sulphate by mining operations. The total European production of sodium sulphate is at <strong>the</strong> level of approx. 2100 kt – see Table 1.9, however, no data have been <strong>submitted</strong> on <strong>the</strong> production amounts originating from each of <strong>the</strong> mentioned process routes. Sodium sulphate producing Number Origin/Estimated combined countries/locations in Europe FRANCE of plants production for Europe Commentry, Roussillon, Loos BELGIUM 3 Methionine (2), Mannheim (1) Tessenderlo, Lommel THE NETHERLANDS 2 Mannheim (1), Viscose (1) Delfzijl SPAIN 1 Messo (from Glauber’s salt) (1) Toledo, Burgos, Madrid, Burgos, Torrelavega, Almeria PORTUGAL 6 Natural (4), Viscose (1), Unknown origin (1) Valongo-Porto UNITED KINGDOM 1 Rayon (1) Eaglescliffe, Dalry GERMANY 2 Sodium dichromate (1), Ascorbic acid (1) Obernburg, Kelheim, Düsseldorf, Marl, Rayon (2), Desulphurisation (1), Low grade – ex fibres Milden Hütte, Schwedt AUSTRIA 6 (1), Battery (1), Flue-gas desulphurisation (1) BMG, Lenzing, Glanzstoff Austria ITALY 3 Battery (1), Rayon (2) Bergamo, La Porto, Tonno GREECE 3 Unknown origin (1), Pigments (2) Piraeus FINLAND 1 Natural (1) Valkeakoski, Lappeenranta SWEDEN 2 Rayon (1), Unknown origin (1) Perstorp SWITZERLAND 1 Formic acid (1) Pratteln POLAND 1 Battery recycling Alwernia, Gorzow TURKEY 2 Sodium dichromate (1), Rayon (1) Alkim, Sisecam, Kaprasama CZECH REPUBLIC 3 Natural (1), Chromecake (2) Lovosice SLOVAKIA 1 Rayon (1) Senica SERBIA 1 Rayon (1) Loznica BULGARIA 1 Rayon (1) Svistov 1 Rayon (1) TOTAL EUROPE 41 Approx. 2100 kt Notes: 1. Data estimation for non-CEFIC-SSPA Members, 2. For ‘natural’ production in Spain yearly capacities were estimated instead of typical production volumes. Table 1.9: Sodium sulphate production in Europe [64, CEFIC-SSPA, 2004] 20
This document has not been fully peer reviewed and <strong>the</strong> <strong>information</strong> within is not validated nor endorsed by <strong>the</strong> TWG on LVIC-S or by <strong>the</strong> European Commission, it is meant for <strong>information</strong>, only According to most sources, <strong>the</strong> total sodium sulphate consumption in Europe is estimated at 1.6 million tonnes. Industry experts feel that overall consumption will remain stable or will slightly decline over <strong>the</strong> next five years, with detergents remaining <strong>the</strong> dominant market. In recent years, <strong>the</strong> capital investment in sodium sulphate production in Europe has decreased. Some productions have been stopped among o<strong>the</strong>rs in Italy, some plants have been debottlenecked, but no new plants have been built. 1.6.2 Industrial processes used Sodium sulphate is produced ei<strong>the</strong>r from <strong>the</strong> mining of natural sodium sulphate or as a byproduct from various kinds of processes. As previously mentioned, mining process is not included in this section. The six major production processes covered are sodium sulphate as a by-product from: fibres (rayon/viscose) Messo process (from ‘Glauber’s salt’, <strong>the</strong> same as fibres) chromium Mannheim furnaces (HCl is considered <strong>the</strong> main product) [64, CEFIC-SSPA, 2004] methionine formic acid. Of <strong>the</strong> above processes, <strong>the</strong> production of fibres is <strong>the</strong> dominating route for <strong>the</strong> production of sodium sulphate as by-product in <strong>the</strong> EU. Example plants most characteristic to <strong>the</strong> sodium sulphate recovery and production are: viscose process – sodium sulphate plant in Lenzing, Austria Mannheim furnace process – sodium sulphate plant of <strong>the</strong> Tessenderlo Group, Belgium chromium process – sodium sulphate plant Elementis Chromium, Eaglescliffe, UK. There is much less <strong>information</strong> available on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r process routes (ascorbic acid, desulphurisation, battery recycling). The starting materials for sodium sulphate depend on <strong>the</strong> main process, but in common to all processes <strong>the</strong> production of sodium sulphate starts with Glauber’s salt (sodium sulphate decahydrate Na2SO4 . 10H2O) or sodium sulphate in solution, which has to be separated from <strong>the</strong> main product by, or followed by, crystallisation and drying. The different process steps can be applied in a numerous of ways and with a large variety of equipment, which depend mainly on <strong>the</strong> main production process used. The different processes for producing sodium sulphate as a by-product, <strong>the</strong> variations within each process and <strong>the</strong> varying raw materials, yield sodium sulphate with different purity, particle size and contents of impurities. 1.6.2.1 Fibres process (Na2SO4 production from <strong>the</strong> viscose-fibre process) Fibres are produced by spinning viscose in a sulphuric acid precipitation bath in which <strong>the</strong> following reaction takes place – refer to <strong>the</strong> BREF for <strong>the</strong> Manufacture of Polymers (POL): 2 Cell–OCS2Na + H2SO4 2 Cell–OH + 2CS2 + Na2SO4 (Cell = cellulose) 21
Page 1 and 2: EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GEN
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Page 48 and 49: References 41 Solvay S.A. (2003). "
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Page 54 and 55: Glossary Ca 2+ Calcium ion CaC2 Cal
Page 56: Glossary (NH4)2SO4 Ammonium sulphat

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