Laserfiche WebLink
•~ <br />z <br />The principal products that P.merican Soda intends to produce <br />from Nahcolite (VaHCO~) are sodium carbonate (also cal.Led soda <br />ash) and sodium bicarbonate (also called baking soda). Soda ash <br />is used in several industrial processes including the <br />manufacturing of glass, various chemicals, pulp and paper, soaps <br />and detergents, water treatment products, cleaning preparations, <br />and other products. Sodium bicarbonate is used as a pollution <br />control agent (flue gas desulfurization and acid neutralization) <br />and in the manufacturing of food and flour, pharmaceuticals and <br />antacids, fire extinguishers, various household products, <br />laboratory reagents, and many other products. <br />Solution mining of bedded and disseminated nahcol:Lte <br />deposits shall be accomplished by injecting heated and ' <br />pressurized water into solution mining wells in order t:o dissolve <br />nahcolite. Water that is injected will have temperatus~es between <br />300°F and approximately 420°F (or other temperature below that o•~ <br />which the destructive distillation of oil shale may occur) an oP ;TS <br />shall be at presures of 300 to 700 pounds per square ir..ch gage b" <br />(psig). The volumetric flow rate into and out of each well shall ~c~y <br />be in the range of 20 to over 200 gallons per minute. <br />Approximately 26 wells will be drilled and completed with <br />casing and tubing in preparation for commencement of commercial <br />operations. During the initial operation period, all of these <br />initial wells may be operated concurrently for a limite~9 time. <br />After the initial operating period, approximately 15 we.11s will <br />be operated concurrently. Assuming an average cavity temperature <br />of 300°F, each well is expected to have a mining production life <br />of approximately 1.5 to 3 years. Wells shall be taken out of <br />service when the value of the energy input exceeds the value of <br />the :Wining output. j.l <br />~~ <br />each well will have an injection zone that is located over 3~~~1re ~~r~ <br />the interval of approximately 150 to 800 feet below the ~o~'~ .+~ <br />Dissolution Surface. A buffer zone of a L <br />pproximately 150 feet w'~~ <br />shall be provided below the bottom of the Lower Aquifer. The <br />injection zone is isolated from the overlying Upper Aquifer by <br />approximately 720 vertical feet of stratigraphic section, of <br />which approximately 233 feet is a semi-confining layer known as <br />the Mahogany Zone. No fluids would be injected into any b`~y~f `t, <br />Underqrouna Source of Drinking Water (USDW). Only 25 to 30 Ns ~ ~ <br />percent of the subsurface material located in the injection zone P°`jroil.° <br />will be removed by mining, hence solution mining will simply v~'' err <br />create a more porous zone rather than a void. The remaining 70 ~°~o,l <br />to 75 percent of the original volume will consist of oil shale <br />and other insoluble rock. <br />'x <br /> <br />