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Across the Soda Ash Industry: Pacific Soda and the Future of Wyoming’s Trona Industry

USW 13214
July 12, 2026
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Editor’s Note: This article is part of our Across the Soda Ash Industry series. From market trends and company developments to new mining projects and emerging technologies, this series aims to help members better understand the forces shaping the soda ash industry and the communities that depend on it.

Wyoming’s soda ash industry took another important step toward future expansion this month as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced it has issued right-of-way grant offers to Pacific Soda LLC for the Dry Creek Trona Mine Project in Sweetwater County. While construction cannot begin until additional state permitting requirements are met, the announcement marks another significant milestone for what could become one of the largest new soda ash projects ever developed in the Green River Basin.

For workers in Wyoming’s trona and soda ash industry, projects like Dry Creek are worth paying attention to. Whether they ultimately become operating mines or not, large-scale developments influence future employment opportunities, investment, production capacity, and Wyoming’s position in the global natural soda ash market.


 

Industry Snapshot

Project: Dry Creek Trona Project

Developer: Pacific Soda LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of Şişecam)

Location: Approximately 20 miles southwest of Green River, Wyoming

Mining Method: Solution Mining

Planned Production: Up to 6 million metric tons of soda ash annually

Estimated Trona Resource: Approximately 117 million tons

Construction Employment: Up to 2,000 jobs

Permanent Workforce: Approximately 300 employees

Current Status: Federal right-of-way grant offers issued; awaiting final Wyoming DEQ mine permit approval and reclamation bonding before construction can begin.


 

Who Is Pacific Soda?

Pacific Soda LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Şişecam, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of glass and industrial minerals. Headquartered in Türkiye, Şişecam operates in more than a dozen countries and is already an established part of Wyoming’s trona industry through its ownership of Şişecam Wyoming.

The Dry Creek Trona Project represents the company’s next major investment in the Green River Basin. Rather than expanding an existing operation, Pacific Soda is developing an entirely new production facility designed around modern solution mining technology.

Although many Wyoming workers are familiar with Şişecam Wyoming, Pacific Soda is a separate company created specifically to develop the Dry Creek project. If completed, it would become another major producer in Wyoming’s already world-renowned soda ash industry.


 

Why Solution Mining?

One of the most interesting aspects of the Dry Creek project is that it will use solution mining instead of conventional underground mining.

Traditional underground mining involves driving entries into the ore body, drilling and blasting trona, loading it onto conveyors or haulage equipment, and transporting it to the surface for processing.

Solution mining takes a different approach.

Instead of sending miners underground, wells are drilled into deep trona deposits. Water is injected into the formation where it dissolves the trona underground. The resulting mineral-rich brine is then pumped back to the surface and processed into soda ash.

While solution mining is not new to Wyoming, projects like Dry Creek demonstrate how companies are adapting mining methods to reach deposits that may not be practical or economical to recover through conventional underground mining alone.

Each mining method has its own advantages and challenges. Conventional mining allows direct access to the ore body but requires extensive underground infrastructure. Solution mining reduces the need for underground development while relying on sophisticated well fields, pipelines, processing systems, and careful management of the underground resource.

As technology continues to evolve, both methods will likely remain important parts of Wyoming’s trona industry.


 

A Project of Significant Scale

If completed as proposed, the Dry Creek Trona Project would rank among the largest new soda ash developments in Wyoming in decades.

According to the Bureau of Land Management, the project would recover an estimated 117 million tons of trona from deposits approximately 2,300 feet below the surface. Current plans call for production of up to 6 million metric tons of soda ash annually, placing the facility among the largest natural soda ash operations in North America.

Construction is expected to support up to 2,000 jobs, while long-term operations are projected to create approximately 300 permanent full-time positions.

The project would include:

  • Solution mining well fields
  • Processing and refining facilities
  • Pipelines
  • Storage ponds
  • Utilities and cogeneration systems
  • Transportation infrastructure
  • Support facilities necessary for long-term production

Projects of this size require years of engineering, permitting, environmental review, and financing before the first ton of soda ash is ever produced.


 

Project Timeline

2012 – Pacific Soda begins developing the Dry Creek Trona Project.

2025 – The Bureau of Land Management issues the project’s Record of Decision following completion of the environmental review.

July 2026 – The BLM issues right-of-way grant offers allowing additional project infrastructure to move forward once remaining state requirements are satisfied.

Next Step – Final approval of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality mine permit and acceptance of the required reclamation bond before construction may begin.


 

Where Does the Project Stand Today?

Pacific Soda has spent several years advancing the project through engineering, environmental review, exploration, and permitting.

On July 8, 2026, the Bureau of Land Management announced it had issued right-of-way grant offers for the Dry Creek Trona Mine Project. These grants authorize construction of key infrastructure on federally managed lands and include a notice to proceed that becomes effective after the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality approves the mining permit and the required reclamation bond is accepted.

Although additional approvals remain, this milestone demonstrates that the project continues moving forward through the regulatory process.

Large mining projects rarely happen overnight. They often require more than a decade of planning before construction begins, making each regulatory milestone an important step toward eventual development.


 

Why This Matters Beyond Wyoming

Although this project is located in Sweetwater County, its significance extends well beyond Wyoming.

Natural soda ash produced in the Green River Basin is shipped throughout the United States and exported around the world. It becomes part of products used every day, including:

  • Glass bottles
  • Automotive glass
  • Fiberglass insulation
  • Solar panels
  • Laundry detergents
  • Water treatment chemicals
  • Chemical manufacturing
  • Food ingredients
  • Pharmaceutical products

As global demand for these products changes, so does demand for soda ash.

Companies invest billions of dollars in Wyoming because they believe natural soda ash will continue to play an important role in manufacturing for decades to come. Projects like Dry Creek reflect confidence not only in Wyoming’s trona reserves but also in the long-term demand for the products made from them.


 

Economic Impact

Large industrial projects create economic activity long before production begins.

Engineering firms, construction contractors, equipment suppliers, trucking companies, hotels, restaurants, and numerous local businesses often benefit during development.

If the project proceeds as planned, construction alone could support thousands of workers over several years while creating demand for local goods and services throughout Sweetwater County.

Once operational, hundreds of permanent employees would contribute to the local economy while the facility would generate tax revenue supporting schools, roads, emergency services, and other public infrastructure.

For communities built around mining and energy production, investments of this size often have impacts extending far beyond the mine gate.


 

Questions We’ll Be Watching

Although the project continues making progress, several important questions remain.

Among them are:

  • When will the Wyoming DEQ issue the final mining permit?
  • When will construction officially begin?
  • How will the project be financed?
  • What will the construction schedule look like?
  • How will additional production affect Wyoming’s overall soda ash capacity?
  • What opportunities could the project create for skilled workers in Sweetwater County?

These are all topics we’ll continue following in future editions of Across the Soda Ash Industry.


 

Did You Know?

  • Wyoming produces roughly 90% of the natural soda ash mined in the United States.
  • The Green River Basin contains the largest known natural trona deposit in the world.
  • Natural soda ash generally requires less energy to produce than synthetic soda ash.
  • Wyoming soda ash is exported to customers around the globe and is used in products many of us interact with every day.


 

Looking Ahead

Pacific Soda is still several steps away from becoming an operating producer, but each regulatory milestone brings the project closer to reality.

Whether or not the Dry Creek Trona Project ultimately proceeds exactly as planned, its continued advancement demonstrates that companies continue to see long-term value in Wyoming’s natural trona resources.

For members of USW Local 13214, understanding projects like Pacific Soda provides valuable insight into where the industry may be headed in the years ahead. Whether through new technologies, additional production capacity, or changing market conditions, developments across Wyoming continue to shape the future of the soda ash industry.

Future installments of Across the Soda Ash Industry will continue exploring the companies, technologies, market trends, and major developments that affect soda ash workers throughout Wyoming, North America, and around the world.


 

Sources and Further Reading

Information for this article was compiled from publicly available government documents, company information, and project announcements related to the Dry Creek Trona Project.

Primary sources included the Bureau of Land Management’s announcement regarding right-of-way grant offers for the Dry Creek Trona Mine Project, Pacific Soda LLC project information, Şişecam public announcements, and other publicly available project documentation.

Further Reading

This article is part of USW Local 13214’s Across the Soda Ash Industry series, which examines developments affecting soda ash workers, communities, and producers throughout North America and around the world.