Process for producing sodium salts from brines of sodium ores

Process for producing sodium-based chemicals from a brine containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate which comprises heating the brine to temperatures of from about 90.degree. C. to about 115.degree. C. to evaporate water, convert sodium bicarbonate the sodium carbonate and to drive off resulting carbon dioxide therefrom until the concentration of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate in the brine form a solution that will crystallize sodium sesquicarbonate, cooling the evaporated brine at about 25.degree. C. to about 45.degree. C., precipitating sodium sesquicarbonate crystals, separating the sodium sesquicarbonate crystals from a first mother liquor, cooling the first mother liquor to a temperature of about 0.degree. C. to about 20.degree. C., precipitating sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals, separating the sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals from a second mother liquid, melting the sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals to form a sodium carbonate solution, heating the sodium carbonate solution at a temperature above about 60.degree. C. but below about 110.degree. C. to evaporate water, crystallizing sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals, separating said sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals from their mother liquor, heating said sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals until they are converted to soda ash and recovering the soda ash.

Process for producing sodium-based chemicals from a brine containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate that is obtained by contact of water with an underground trona formation and which has a total alkali value of at least 8% by weight which comprises heating the brine to evaporate water, convert sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate and to drive off resulting carbon dioxide therefrom until the concentration of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate in the brine form a solution that will crystallize sodium sesquicarbonate, cooling the evaporated brine to induce precipitation of sodium sesquicarbonate, precipitating sodium sesquicarbonate crystals, separating the sodium sesquicarbonate crystals from a first mother liquor, cooling the first mother liquor to a lower temperature to induce precipitation of sodium carbonate decahydrate, precipitating sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals, separating the sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals from a second mother liquor, and recovering the sodium carbonate decahydrate crystals for use in the manufacture of sodium-containing chemicals.