NS 2023 Annual Report For EPA

• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 8/28/2025
• Archive: No

Natural Soda LLC 2023 Project Status Report & Annual Plan of Development
6 January 2024

2.2. Leasehold Status
The original four NS sodium leases were renewed by the BLM in 2021 for a period of
ten years. Annual rental and royalty payments have been submitted to the Mineral
Management Service. The NS leases comprise approximately 8,379 acres. NS plans
to renew the leases again in 2031 for an additional period of ten years.
3.0 Project Status
3.1. 2023 Project Activities (C onfidential)
(See Figure 3 & Table 4: Plant and Well Location Maps)
In 2023 NS produced 250,297 tons of sodium bicarbonate, and generated 249,916 tons
in annual sales. Table 1 presents the monthly sodium bicarbonate production, sales,
and inventory summary for 2023. This product was produced from the 12H, 13H, 15H,
16H, and 17H mining intervals. The 2023 and lifetime sodium bicarbonate production
for the mining intervals is presented in Table 2. Routine boil outs were performed in
2023. NS completed a capital project to install a cyclone on the #3 dryer which is the
product dryer in Train #2. The installation was completed in April 2023. NS is planning
additional capital expenditures to upgrade equipment over the next few years. Various
short shutdowns were required for routine maintenance, equipment repair, and/or
replacement throughout the year.
3.1.1. Items of Significance (Confidential)
• A 3-acre well pad was constructed for the proposed 18H-1V/19H-1V/20H-1V
slant production wells. To access this pad from the plant, a 1,600 foot access
road was built and graveled. A new pipeline was constructed proximal to the
access road to connect the proposed 18H-1V production well with existing
pipeline infrastructure. The existing 15H-17H (west) pad was extended toward
the south; this 2-acre pad extension will be utilized for the proposed 18H-IR-W
and 19H-IR-W wells.
• Plug & Abandonment (P&A) operations occurred during 2023 to remove older
wells from the NS groundwater monitoring program. These wells, associated
with the Rock School Lease: AM-2, MWA-2, MWB-2, MWD-1, MWD-2, MWU-2,
and the RS-96-20-1 were all P&A’ed in 2023.
• NS P&A’ed three inactive sodium bicarbonate production wells in 2023: 14H-
R(I), 15H-I, and the 17H-I.