Baking Soda’s Secret Origin _ Trona

I recently ran out of baking soda and picked up some more. It’s something we use all the time around the house, but I realized I never really knew where it comes from or how it's made. So, I decided to learn more about this everyday household hero!

Where Does Baking Soda Come From?

Baking soda, which we often use for cleaning and cooking, actually comes from natural minerals. The most common ones are Trona and Nahcolite. These minerals are found in dry places like deserts, and there’s also a way to get baking soda from lakes and groundwater!

 

• run out of - 다 떨어지다
• pick up - (물건을) 사다, 집어 들다
• natural minerals - 천연 광물
• groundwater - 지하수

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1. What is Trona?

Trona is a mineral that you can find in nature. It’s made up of sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃)—the stuff that makes up baking soda. Trona is really important because it gives us lots of this alkaline material that helps clean things and more.

Trona usually forms in dry desert areas where old lakes have dried up. From Trona, we get both soda ash (which is used in lots of industries) and baking soda, which we use for all sorts of things.

• sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) - 탄산나트륨
• sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) - 탄산수소나트륨
• alkaline - 알칼리성
• soda ash - 소다회
• all sorts of things - 다양한 것들

 

Image Source : Wikipedia

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1-1. Where is Trona Mined?

Trona is found in a few big places around the world:

• United States (Wyoming):
  The Green River area in Wyoming is where most of the world’s Trona comes from—about 90% of it! It’s a big deal there, with lots of industries depending on it.
• Turkey (Beypazarı):
  Turkey also has a growing Trona industry, especially in the Beypazarı region. They’ve been producing more in recent years.
• China:
  China mines Trona mostly to use it within the country.
• Ethiopia (Danakil Desert):
  In Africa, Ethiopia’s Danakil Desert has plenty of Trona, along with other important minerals.

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1-2. How Does Trona Become Baking Soda?

The process of turning Trona into baking soda is pretty cool! First, Trona is mined and cleaned up. From there, we get soda ash. By adding carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water to it, the soda ash turns into sodium bicarbonate, or what we know as baking soda. After that, it’s ready to be used for cleaning, cooking, and all the other things we use it for every day!

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2. What is Nahcolite?

Nahcolite is another mineral that gives us baking soda. It’s mostly made of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), which means it doesn’t need much processing to become baking soda. It’s already in a form we can use right away!

Just like Trona, Nahcolite is found in dry areas and is another important mineral for lots of industries.

Image Source : Wikipedia

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2-1. Where is Nahcolite Mined?

Nahcolite is mostly mined in the United States, especially in Arkansas and Colorado.

• United States (Fishing Creek, Arkansas):
  The Fishing Creek area in Arkansas has lots of Nahcolite. It’s so pure that it doesn’t need much work to turn it into baking soda.
• United States (Green River, Colorado):
  Colorado’s Green River area is famous for both Trona and Nahcolite. These two minerals are found close to each other and are both super important.

Nahcolite is mostly found in dry places, and while there are other places with small amounts, the U.S. is where most of it comes from.

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2-2. How Does Nahcolite Become Baking Soda?

Since Nahcolite is almost pure sodium bicarbonate, it’s a lot easier to turn into baking soda than Trona. After it’s mined, it just needs to be washed and dried, and then it’s ready to be packaged as baking soda for all your cleaning and cooking needs.

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3. Baking Soda from Lake Sediments and Groundwater

Baking soda can also be made from natural deposits found in lake sediments or groundwater. In this case, the sodium bicarbonate settles naturally and is collected. It’s cleaned and heated to make sodium carbonate, which is then mixed with water. After removing the carbon dioxide, baking soda is created!

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Things to Keep in Mind When Using Baking Soda

Even though baking soda is safe and eco-friendly, there are a few things to be careful about:

1. Don’t Use on Aluminum

Baking soda is alkaline, which means it can react with aluminum and cause it to change color. Try not to use it on aluminum pots or pans.

2. Be Careful with Glass and Mirrors

The tiny particles in baking soda can scratch glass and mirrors. It’s better to use something else to clean those surfaces.

3. Watch Out for Your Skin and Eyes

Baking soda can irritate your eyes if it gets in them, and it can dry out sensitive skin. If you’re using it a lot, wear gloves and be careful around your eyes.

4. Don’t Mix with Citric Acid

Baking soda is alkaline, while citric acid is acidic. If you mix them, they cancel each other out and won’t work as well. Use them separately for different cleaning tasks. For example, use baking soda for grease and citric acid for limescale.

5. Use in Open Spaces

When you mix baking soda with vinegar, it makes carbon dioxide gas. If you do this in a closed space, the gas can build up, so make sure the area is well-ventilated.

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Now you know where baking soda comes from and how it’s made! Whether from Trona, Nahcolite, or even lake sediments, baking soda is a super handy product that we use every day. Just remember these tips for using it safely and effectively! 🌿