OREANDA-NEWS. February 24, 2011. A Chinese investor will take part in the construction of the soda ash plant in Gomel Oblast, Anatoly Lis, Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister, told a press conference on 23 February.

The Construction and Architecture Ministry of Belarus and a Chinese company have already signed an investment agreement, Anatoly Lis said.

“We have started developing the deposit. It has been explored already,” Anatoly Lis added.

The plant with the capacity of 280,000 tonnes of soda ash per year will produce soda ash for glass, chemical and other industries. The plant will sell its products domestically to satisfy the home demand, which stands at about 120,000 tonnes of soda ash per year, and also internationally.

The plant will be built in Mozyr District where the biggest deposits of rock salt are located, approximately 22 billion tonnes. Belarus has big deposits of rock salt and limestone which are used to produce soda ash.