Chile saltpeter NaNO

Sodium is the sixth most abundant element on earth. It comprises about 2.6% weight of the earth s crust. Its salt, sodium chloride, is the major component of seawater. The concentration of sodium in seawater is 1.08%. As a very reactive element, sodium is never found in free elemental form. It occurs in nature in many minerals such as cryolite, amphibole, zeolite, sodalite, and soda niter. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is the most common salt of sodium. Some other important salts are caustic soda (NaOH), soda ash (Na2C03), baking soda (NaHCOs), Chile saltpeter (NaNOs), borax (Na2B407 IOH2O), sodium thiosulfate (Na2S203), sodium sulfate (Na2S04), and sodium phosphates. 

Sodium and potassium are about equally abundant in nature. They occur in silicate minerals such as albite (NaAlSisOs) and orthoclase (KAlSisOg). Over long periods of time (on a geologic scale), silicate minerals are slowly decomposed by wind and rain, and their sodium and potassium ions are converted to more soluble compounds. Eventually rain leaches these compounds out of the soil and carries them to the sea. Yet when we look at the composition of seawater, we find that the concentration ratio of sodium to potassium is about 28 to 1. The reason for this uneven distribution is that potassium is essential to plant growth, while sodium is not. Plants take up many of the potassium ions along the way, while sodium ions are free to move on to the sea. Other minerals that contain sodium or potassium are halite (NaCl), shown in Figure 20.13, Chile saltpeter (NaNOs), and sylvite (KCl). Sodium chloride is also obtained from rock salt (see p. 373). 

About 78 percent of air by volume is nitrogen. The most important mineral sources of nitrogen are saltpeter (KNO3) and Chile saltpeter (NaNOs). Nitrogen is an essential element of life it is a component of proteins and nucleic acids. 

Sodium Nitrate (Chile Saltpeter, Cubic or Soda Niter, Caliche, Nitratine). NaNOs, mw 85.01,... 

Sodium Nitrate. Chile saltpeter cubic niter soda niter. NNaO, mol wt 85.01. N 16.48%, Na 27.03%, O 56.47%. NaNO, The purified grade contains at least 99% NaNO,. Occurs as a mineral in Chile. 

Sodium nitrate nitrate [7631-99-4] NaNO, is found in naturally occurring deposits associated with sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, magnesium chloride, and other salts. Accumulations of sodium nitrate have been reported in several countries, but the only ones being commercially exploited are the unique nitrate-rich deposits in Chile, South America. Natural sodium nitrate is also referred to as Chilean saltpeter or Chilean nitrate. 

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