Laserfiche WebLink
2.2 Leasehold Status <br />The original four sodium leases were renewed by the BLM, July 1, 2001 for a period of ten <br />years. Annual rental and minimum royalty payments were submitted to the Mineral <br />Management Service. <br />3.0 PROJECT STATUS AND PLANS <br />3.1 2005 Status <br />3.1.1 Planned Production and Activities <br />Natural Soda Inc. anticipated production of approximately 106,045 tons of sodium bicarbonate <br />in 2005 from cavities 1A, 5H, and 6H and 7H. Cavities 1A and 5H were operated using <br />submersible pumps to recover pregnant solutions from the 6H injection well. Cavity 7H was not <br />operational by year end. Complications in the drilling of both 7H wells and connection between <br />the injection and recovery wells delayed the start-up until January, 2006. <br />3.1.2 Actual Project Activities <br />NSi produced 84,304 tons of sodium bicarbonate in 2005 using cavities 1A, 5H, and 6H. <br />Appreciable additional sales did not materialize through nine months of the year, creating a <br />sales limiting situation for the project. High sodium chloride concentrations from the 5H cavity <br />and dilution problems in the plant placed the project in a production limiting situation during <br />fourth quarter. There were no significant production outages experienced during 2005. <br />Routine "boil outs" were performed throughout the year. Six planned shutdowns were taken to <br />clean process equipment. One short shutdown was taken to change out some process valves <br />in November. Raw water well and 1A recovery well submersible pumps were replaced in fourth <br />quarter. The crystal centrifuge rotating assembly was replaced in October. <br />-a- <br />