SWEETWATER COUNTY– Ciner Wyoming LLC is seeking approval to construct a new refinery unit at the Big Island Mine and Refinery, which would allow them to increase soda ash production by 1.1 million tons.

Last Tuesday, Ciner gave a project overview to the Sweetwater County Commissioners about the Ciner Wyoming Unit 8 Capacity Extension. The project would be an expansion of the Big Island Mine and Refinery, which is located 22 miles north of Green River on WY-372.

Ciner is pursuing an Industrial Siting Permit (ISP) through the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, and if obtained, construction is expected to begin early in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Tyler Schiltz, Environmental Superintendent for Ciner, said that the project, which will be entirely on BLM land, is estimated to take two years to construct.

“It’ll have quite an influence on the county,” Schiltz said.

At peak construction, the project will bring in an estimated 560 employees. An average of 209 workers will be employed during each of the two estimated years of construction.

Once the facility is operating, there will be additional staff hired. Currently, the facility has about 475 employees. This expansion will add an estimated 42 employees: 20 miners, six maintenance employees, 12 production employees, and four lab employees.

The current facility processes an average of 4.3 metric tons of soda ash. The expansion will process an estimated 6.5 metric tons.

There will be a public informational session from 5-8 pm on Thursday, February 25 at the Holiday Inn Patio Room, 1675 Sunset Dr.