Process for recovery of low sodium salt from bittern

An economical process for recovery of low-sodium salt, preparing free flowing low-sodium salt or optionally preparing iodized low sodium salt and with enhanced recovery of low sodium salt from bittern, the said process comprising steps of:

• a) treating the bittern with calcium chloride solution to produce insoluble calcium sulfate,
• b) separating calcium sulfate of step (a) to obtain desulphated bittern,
• c) evaporating the desulphated bittern of step (b) in solar pans with deposition of excess salt in pans,
• d) removing the excess salt deposit of step (c) to obtain concentrated desulphated bittern,
• e) feeding the concentrated desulphated bittern of step (d) to a carnallite pans and continuing the solar evaporation till solid deposition is initiated,
• f) separating the solid mixture of step (e) constituting a mixture of sodium chloride and carnallite (KCl.MgCl2.6H2O) from end bittern,
• g) treating with stirring the solid mixture of step (f) with water over a period of 20-60 minutes to produce desired sodium salt composition and a liquid in equilibrium with this solid containing mainly magnesium chloride with dissolved sodium chloride and potassium chloride,
• h) separating the solid product of step (g) from the liquid by centrifugation, and
• i) drying the solid of step (h) at a temperature ranging from 90°-130° C. to obtain low sodium salt.