Government of Tanzania Is Working on Adopting Technology for The Extraction of Soda Ash

The Government of Tanzania is working on adopting sustainable technology for the extraction of soda ash from the salt lake Natron, without damaging the eco-system.
 
Soda ash is used in textile industry for dyeing cotton and other cellulose fibres such as linen, rayon, tencel or hemp, to increase the pH (alkalinity) of the reaction.
 
Lake Natron, situated in northern Tanzania near Kenya, is rich in soda ash and is an important habitat for 2.5 million flamingos and is home to endemic algae and some other invertebrates.
 
Mr. Lazaro Nyalandu, Deputy Minister of natural resources and tourism, said the Government is aware that setting up a soda ash extraction plant in the Natron Lake will be environmentally challenging. Hence, it will use safe technologies which will not disturb the flora and fauna and its environmental surroundings, he added.
 
Earlier, in 2006, India-based Tata Chemical Industries Ltd put across a proposal to the Tanzanian Government for producing 500,000 tons of soda ash by constructing a factory costing US$ 450 million. The Indian company also offered permanent jobs for 150 people in the factory. However, the company had to withdraw the plan owing to environmental concerns.