Salt (NaCl) Extraction

L. David Roper
http://www.roperld.com/personal/RoperLDavid.htm
2 July, 2016

Introduction

Of course, salt (sodium Chloride, NaCl) is very important for existence of life. it being an important solute in bodily fuids. It is also important for food preservation and spicing. It is used for many industrial processes, in fire extinguishers and for de-icing roadways.

World Salt Extraction

Top countries for salt extraction

Rank Country/Region 2012 salt
extraction
(metric tonnes)
 % of world
production
 
World
259,000,000
100 %
1
 China
70,000,000
27.03 %
other countries
43,500,000
16.8 %
2
 United States
37,200,000
14.36 %
3
 India
17,000,000
6.56 %
4
 Germany
11,900,000
4.59 %
5
 Australia
10,800,000
4.17 %
5
 Canada
10,800,000
4.17 %
5
 Mexico
10,800,000
4.17 %
6
 Chile
8,060,000
3.11 %
7
 Brazil
7,020,000
2.71 %
8
 United Kingdom
6,700,000
2.59 %
9
 France
6,100,000
2.36 %
10
 Ukraine
5,900,000
2.28 %
11
 Turkey
5,000,000
1.93 %
12
 Spain
4,390,000
1.69 %
13
 Poland
3,810,000
1.47 %

World Extraction Data

Energy Available for Salt Extraction

Assume that the main source of energy for salt extration is made from crude oil since the early 1900s. The amount of energy available from crude oil as a function of time is proportional to the red curve in this graph::

Fitting the salt-extraction data to the crude-oil energy with a linear function yields the red curve in this graph:


The fit is only to date up to year 1985.

Obviously, some other function is needed to explain the extraction data after 1985.

World Population Increase and Salt Extraction

Assume that the more recent data after 1985 is mainly due to world population increase, shown in this graph:

Fitting the salt-extraction data after year 1985 to world populatioln with a linear function yields the blue curve in this graph:

Perhaps the blue curve is a reasonable projection of future world salt extraction.

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