Rod Kvidahl, a chemical engineer, was a leading pioneer in the development of the trona-based soda ash industry in the United States. For many years, he served as the major spokesman for that industry.
He began his career at FMC (then Intermountain Chemical Corporation), Green River, Wyoming in 1952, following graduation from Iowa State University. His first assignment was as Process Control Engineer. At that time, the company was starting up the world’s first trona-based refined soda ash plant. The principal use for soda ash is in making caustic soda essential to textile, paper, food, petroleum, rubber, and other industries. Kvidahl advanced through the ranks and was General Superintendent by 1960. He was central in the expansion of the soda ash plant capacity from 300,000 to 600,000 tons per year.
Between 1960 and 1963, he worked as Production Coordinator in New York City, as well as General Superintendent of the Green River plant. Next, he spent seven years as Superintendent, then Manager, at the FMC elemental phosphorus plant in Pocatello, Idaho, where phosphate shale is mined and converted to elemental phosphate. At that time, this was the world’s largest elemental phosphorus plant.
During his career, Kvidahl contributed significantly to the success of trona operations, and, under his guidance, the FMC mine and plant more than doubled in output, making the mine one of the largest underground operations in the world and the Wyoming trona industry an economic success.
Rod Kvidahl was a leading spokesman and lobbyist for the Wyoming soda ash industry, a member of the Board of Directors of the Wyoming Mining Association, and a founder of the Southwest Wyoming Industrial Association. He was highly respected by his colleagues, the people of Wyoming, and the entire industry. In 1982, his article, “New Developments in Trona Mining,” was presented at the 5th International Minerals Congress in Madrid, Spain.
