Early next year, 350 workers will lose their jobs at the Westvaco trona mine near Green River. This will decrease the revenue for the State Permanent Mineral Trust Fund by about $4 million per year, according to Sweetwater County Treasurer Mark Cowan.
“I think that as a whole, the state really relies on what happens out of Sweetwater County. We've been one of the primary economic drivers for the state,” he said.
Trona is the primary raw mineral used to make soda ash, which is Wyoming’s biggest export. Soda ash is used to manufacture glass, soap and paper.
London-based company, WE Soda, bought the mine in 2025 and announced on Wednesday it’s switching to solution mining. Trona will be dissolved in water underground, rather than on the surface. The company says this is cheaper.
It also says it plans to produce less soda ash from trona and reduce exports to Asia and South America because of the low cost of soda ash China is exporting.
The transition will be carried out over approximately the next two years.
Cowan said Sweetwater County, alone, will lose a million dollars in revenue.
“It'll affect schools and teachers and part of those families that are working in other industries that aren't going to be able to do that as well,” he said.
Cowan said this is why the county needs to make sure it has the best economic development opportunities available for it.
“We cannot continue to be hamstrung by regulation or rules or things that are beyond our control,” he said.
Gov. Mark Gordon and Gov. elect Eric Barlow said in a joint press release that they’re concerned for miners and their families.
"Soda ash mining is a vital, legacy industry for Sweetwater County and Wyoming. Today’s announcement regarding the reduction in miners is terrible news for this cornerstone industry."
They said the state is working with the federal government to strengthen the soda ash market going forward.
