The primary source of baking soda is trona, a naturally occurring mineral. Here's a concise overview:
Primary Source: Trona
•What is Trona?
Trona is a mineral made of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and water. It’s the raw material from which baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is derived.
•Where is it Found?
The largest and most significant deposits of trona are located in the Green River Basin of Wyoming, USA, which produces a majority of the world’s trona.
•Processing Trona to Baking Soda:
Trona is mined, then heated to produce soda ash (sodium carbonate). Soda ash is then combined with carbon dioxide and water to create sodium bicarbonate, the chemical name for baking soda.