Sodium silicate: Feedstocks
Why living near cheap soda ash wins
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.Silicate is sand plus a sodium source (soda ash or caustic soda) and heat. Soda ash is the largest cost in the furnace route, so producers near cheap natural soda ash (US trona) or integrated with soda ash plants have an advantage. Sand must be low in iron for clear grades. Because solutions are 50-65% water, plants sit near customers.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qz Silica sand | about 0.77 t per t glass at ratio 3.3 | silica source | about 10-15% of cash cost (indicative) | Stoichiometry; indicative |
| Sda Soda ash | about 0.40 t per t glass at ratio 3.3 | sodium source | about 40-50% (indicative) | Stoichiometry; indicative |
| Caustic soda (hydrothermal route) | about 0.3 t NaOH per t solids (indicative) | sodium source | main cost in that route | Indicative |
| Gas Natural gas | about 4-6 GJ per t glass (indicative) | furnace heat | about 20-30% (indicative) | Indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Low cost: producers with cheap natural soda ash (US) or integrated soda ash and silicate plants (Qemetica, Tata Chemicals region in India) and cheap gas. High cost: European furnaces on expensive gas and synthetic soda ash.
Raw materials on the commodity table
Qz Silica sandSda Soda ashWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| Srf Surfactants | detergent builder and binder |
| Con Construction chemicals | concrete densifiers and geopolymer activators |
| WT Water treatment chemicals | activated silica and corrosion control |
| FCC Refining catalysts | zeolite Y for FCC catalysts |
| Add Polymer additives | precipitated silica filler for tyres and rubber |