| abstract |
A solution mining process for recovering sodium values from an underground deposit of a sodium bicarbonate containing ore is disclosed. The process involves contacting the ore with an aqueous sodium carbonate-containing solution to produce a dilute brine which is stripped with steam to reduce the bicarbonate content and increase the carbonate content. The dilute carbonate/bicarbonate solution from the stripper is fed to a sodium carbonate decahydrate crystallizer to produce pure sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals and a mother liquor containing less than about 4% sodium bicarbonate. |