India's Salt Economy
Industrial Salt and Chemicals
How most salt goes to industry to make soda ash and caustic soda, used in glass, detergents and aluminium, and why salt is a key industrial input.
Much of India’s salt goes to industry.
Chemicals from salt
- Soda ash (sodium carbonate): used in glass, detergents.
- Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and chlorine: used in paper, aluminium, soaps and water treatment.
Chlor-alkali
The chlor-alkali industry splits salt using electricity.
Big users
Tata Chemicals, Nirma and GHCL make soda ash in Gujarat near salt works.
Energy
Chlor-alkali plants use lots of electricity.
Exports
India exports salt to countries like China and Japan for industry.
The detergent chain
Salt from Gujarat becomes soda ash, which becomes the detergent powder in a washing machine.
Thinking most salt is eaten
Much is used by industry.
Key takeaways
- Industry uses much salt.
- Soda ash goes into glass and detergents.
- Chlor-alkali makes caustic soda and chlorine.
- India exports industrial salt.
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