Russalt, one of the leading producers of edible and industrial salt in Russia, headquartered in Orenburg, will continue to modernize production facilities for the production of extra-class salt in 2022. Today, products based on evaporated salt are produced in the Irkutsk and Tula regions. The implementation of a complete reconstruction program will consolidate the position of Russalt as the most modern extra salt producer in Russia and the CIS countries.
If we know a lot about Iletsk rock salt, one of the symbols of the Orenburg region, including its wide recognition at the world level, then extra salt produced in Usolye-Sibirsky and Novomoskovsk may be a discovery for you.
“SIBERIAN SALT”
One of the oldest salt deposits in Russia is located in the Irkutsk region, where Russalt has established modern modernized production in recent years.
How does salt mining work in the Siberian regions? The Usolskoye rock salt deposit (eastern part) is part of the vast Angara-Lena basin, covering the territory of modern river basins of the upper and middle reaches of the Angara River, the upper reaches of the Lena and Nizhnyaya Tunguska rivers. The so-called Usolskaya suite is the main object of production of the Usolye salt mining and processing shop and represents rock salt layers, the thickness of which ranges from 11.5 m to 84.8 m. Salt beds occur in the Usolskaya suite in the range of 880-1400m. The reserves of the deposit today amount to more than 4 billion tons of salt.
Layers of rock salt of the Usolskoye deposit, located in the city of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk region, are uncovered by boreholes with an average depth of 1380 meters, through which saturated brine at a concentration of 305-315g/l rises to the surface. Raw brine enters the chemical treatment department, where all harmful impurities are removed from it. Further, the purified brine enters the salt boiling section. The evaporated salt is sent for drying and then enters the salt packaging and shipping department.
At present, the main stage of the global reconstruction of the Usolye has been completed. In accordance with the reconstruction project, the factory for the production of extra grade salt has been significantly modernized. For the production of salt, the technology of mechanical vapor recompression, which has no analogues in Eastern Europe, is used. Modern equipment for packaging and production of tableted salt was put into operation.
The commissioning of new packaging equipment also made it possible to produce products in new packaging. In addition, a tablet press is installed at the factory – this is the most modern equipment, which made it possible to ensure the release of a new product in the assortment policy of Russalt – tableted salt. Packed in polyethylene bags of 25 kg, tablets are obtained by pressing extra grade evaporated salt. They have a perfectly flat, smooth surface and white color. Tableted salt produced by Russalt has excellent quality and strength characteristics, which have no analogues in Russia and in the world.
Significant modernization of the salt factory had a positive impact on the quality of the salt itself. Due to a slight decrease in the density of the product, it was possible to achieve a uniform size of all crystals. Extra salt is distinguished by uniform fine grinding, easy flowability and pure white color. Its quality indicators meet the most stringent requirements of international standards.
The next task, which will complete the global reconstruction of production, is the modernization of the brine chemical treatment plant and the brine field.
NOVOMOSKOVSKAYA “EXTRA”
The production of a similar product – extra boiled food salt, as well as extra boiled food salt tableted for water softening in water treatment systems and nitrite salt for meat products – is currently mastering the youngest division, built in 2017 in the city of Novomoskovsk, Tula Region, the salt processing shop Novomoskovsk. As a raw material for the production of salt of the highest quality, mainly self-planting salt of Baskunchak Lake is delivered for processing. Due to the convenient location of the plant, many food and industrial enterprises of the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and many central regions have been able to quickly purchase an important component for their production.
Thus, the desire of the management of Russalt and its team for continuous development has brought a tangible result: in place of factories with low production volumes and outdated technologies, new factories with the most modern technical equipment are successfully operating today. In addition, in accordance with the needs of buyers, new types of products have been developed and introduced, such as: “complex food additive for the production of meat products Nitrite salt”,”salt briquetted for animal husbandry”, “mineral concentrate seeded halite of the highest grade” and others. At the request of consumers, in particular, retail chains, the range of products is also expanding annually by changing the parameters of product packaging, net weight of manufactured goods.
PRODUCT QUALITY IS WORLD LEVEL
Russalt is the owner of five trademarks that are part of the product labeling. These trademarks are the historical component of the enterprise, they inform about the deposit where the salt was mined and about its manufacturer, make the products recognizable and reduce the risks of falsification of goods.
The quality of products manufactured by Russalt is regulated by the requirements of the technical regulations of the Customs Union TR TS 021/2011 “On food safety”, TR TS 022/2011 “Food products in terms of their labeling”, TR TS 029/2012 “Food safety requirements additives, flavors and technological aids”, GOST R 51574-2018 “Edible salt. Technical requirements”, as well as the manufacturer’s specifications.
