Standards

ASTM D632 / AASHTO M-143

ASTM D632 / AASHTO M 143 de-icing salt for US and Canadian roads: 95 % NaCl minimum and the Grade 1 sieve gradation, Egyptian rock and sea salt checked per lot.

ASTM D632 — Standard Specification for Sodium Chloride

ASTM D632/D632M: "Standard Specification for Sodium Chloride" is the US reference standard for industrial-grade sodium chloride. It is used for de-icing salt procurement by US state DOTs (in conjunction with AASHTO M-143), water treatment and select industrial applications. Egypt Globe Group supplies de-icing rock salt from Siwa Oasis and Qattara Depression and sea salt from North Sinai and the Red Sea against ASTM D632, each lot's NaCl content and gradation checked by the port laboratory against the tender before the Bill of Lading.

Standard at a glance

Clause	Requirement	EGG verification method	Frequency
NaCl content	≥ 95 % (dry basis)	Chemical analysis per ASTM E534, the standard's referee method, at the port laboratory	Every lot, before B/L
Gradation — Grade 1	100 % passing 12.5 mm (½″) · 95–100 % passing 9.5 mm (⅜″) · 20–90 % passing 4.75 mm (No. 4) · 10–60 % passing 2.36 mm (No. 8) · 0–15 % passing 600 µm (No. 30)	Sieve analysis per AASHTO T 27 / ASTM C136 on sieves conforming to ASTM E11	Every lot
Gradation — Grade 2	A separate grading defined in the standard; the tender states which grade applies	Sieve analysis as for Grade 1	Every lot
Moisture	Set by the purchasing state's contract — e.g. New York ≤ 1.5 % rock salt / ≤ 2.5 % solar salt at delivery; Vermont ≤ 1.0 %	Loss on drying at 110 °C	Every lot
Anti-caking (E535)	Declared per tender; some buyers cap or exclude it	Dosing record	Every dosed lot
Heavy metals (supplementary)	Per the contract's water-quality clause, where one is added	Atomic absorption (AA)	Per contract

Scope

Defines:

Chemical composition limits for NaCl, insolubles, moisture, anti-caking
Two gradings for de-icing salt, Grade 1 and Grade 2, each defined by the percentage passing a set of sieves
Quality acceptance test methods
Optional supplementary requirements (heavy metals, anti-caking, additives)

Grades

ASTM D632 grades de-icing salt by the share of the sample passing each sieve, not by a single size band.

Grade 1

12.5 mm (½″): 100
9.5 mm (⅜″): 95–100
4.75 mm (No. 4): 20–90
2.36 mm (No. 8): 10–60
600 µm (No. 30): 0–15

Grade 1 is a graded mix running from about 12.5 mm down to fines. Because 10–60 % must pass 2.36 mm, a salt screened to a narrow band such as 4.75–9.5 mm would not conform. Most state DOT road-salt contracts call for Type I Grade 1; the New York OGS road-salt specification and the Vermont BGS road-salt contract 44809 both reproduce this table. New York's contract adds its own, separate table for solar (sea) salt: 100 % passing 19.0 mm, 99–100 % 12.5 mm, 95–100 % 9.5 mm, 65–90 % 6.35 mm, 20–80 % 4.75 mm, 10–30 % 2.36 mm and 0–15 % 600 µm.

Grade 2

Grade 2 is a separate grading set out in the standard for special applications. Confirm its sieve table against the edition of ASTM D632 that the tender cites. Egypt Globe Group supplies Grade 2 to order: the salt is screened and graded to the sieve table in the buyer's tender, as it is for any other grading.

Chemical composition

Property	Specification
NaCl (sodium chloride)	≥ 95 % (dry basis), analysed per ASTM E534

Moisture, anti-caking and heavy-metal limits come from the purchasing state's contract rather than from a single national figure.

Optional supplementary requirements

State DOT contracts add their own clauses on top of ASTM D632:

Moisture at delivery

e.g. New York ≤ 1.5 % for rock salt and ≤ 2.5 % for solar salt; Vermont ≤ 1.0 % and free-flowing

Gradation penalties

Vermont reduces the price 1 % for each percentage point over the No. 30 sieve maximum and may reject salt outside any sieve limit

Heavy metals

Pb / As / Cd / Hg reporting where a water-quality clause applies

Anti-caking

the type and dose of any E535 additive, or none

Test methods

ASTM E534

chemical analysis of sodium chloride (the referee method named by ASTM D632)

AASHTO T 27 / ASTM C136

sieve analysis for gradation (the Vermont contract names AASHTO T 27)

ASTM E11

specification for the test sieves

Loss on drying at 110 °C

moisture, as state contracts specify

Atomic absorption (AA)

heavy metals where required

Egyptian compliance

Egypt Globe Group offers two Grade 1 SKUs and two fine SKUs for US/Canada buyers, and grades salt to any other sieve table on order:

PS-ROCK-DEIC-US

Egyptian bulk rock salt, sized to the Grade 1 gradation

PS-ROCK-DEIC-US-FINE

Egyptian bulk rock salt, fine 2.0–4.75 mm — a screened band, not an ASTM D632 grading

PS-SEA-DEIC-US

Egyptian bulk sea salt, sized to the Grade 1 gradation

PS-SEA-DEIC-US-FINE

Egyptian bulk sea salt, fine 2.0–4.75 mm — a screened band, not an ASTM D632 grading

Grade 2, or any other grading

rock or sea salt screened to the sieve table in the tender; every grade is customised to order

Typical Egyptian assay:

NaCl: 96.5–97.5 % (rock; guaranteed minimum 97.00 %); 96.5–97.0 % (sea) — above the 95 % minimum
Insolubles: 1.0–2.0 %
Moisture: rock salt natural 1.0 %, 1.5 % or 2.0 %, kiln-dried to 0.5 % or 0.3 %; sea salt natural 2.5–4.5 % or kiln-dried to 2.0 %, 1.0 % or 0.5 %
Gradation: reported on each lot's Certificate of Analysis against the sieve table in the buyer's tender

Procurement workflow (US state DOT)

State DOT salt contracts cite ASTM D632 or AASHTO M 143, AASHTO's specification for sodium chloride, and add their own moisture, gradation-penalty and delivery clauses:

ASTM D632 / AASHTO M 143 (chemistry and gradation)
ASTM E534 (chemical analysis of sodium chloride)
AASHTO T 27 / ASTM C136 (sieve analysis)

Typical state DOT contract cycle:

RFP issued May-July for upcoming winter
Vendor responds with NaCl spec sheet, gradation report, AASHTO/ASTM compliance, plant inspection records
Award Aug-Sept
Pre-positioning to state salt domes Sept-Nov
Operational use Nov-Apr (varies by state)

How EGG certifies conformity

Many regional exporters are inconsistent lot-to-lot because the specification is checked once, on a type sample, and then assumed. Egypt Globe Group's Quality Assurance division has been at the nucleus of the group since incorporation in 2014 and certifies every lot, not the product type:

Source release — the on-site laboratories at the Siwa Oasis and Qattara Depression rock-salt mines and at the North Sinai (El-Arish / Bardawil) and Red Sea (Ain Sokhna) saltworks assay each production lot for NaCl, insolubles and moisture before it is released for processing or trucking. Rock salt is guaranteed ≥ 97.00 % NaCl; sea salt is classified raw 94–97 %, washed 97.5–98 % or double-washed ≥ 99 %.
Processing verification — screening, kiln-drying and any E535 dosing are run to the standard's grade / type definition and re-checked on the processed lot.
Port laboratory gate — the port-side QC team at the loading port takes a composite sample per the ISO / ASTM sampling plan, runs the full parameter set of the standard and issues the per-lot Certificate of Analysis before the Bill of Lading. Zero tolerance on specification deviation: a lot outside the CoA is rejected at the loading port, never re-graded or renegotiated.
Independent verification — on request, TÜV Austria (primary, EU / GCC), SGS, Intertek (US / UK / ECOWAS) or Bureau Veritas (all ISO/IEC 17020 + 17025; Cotecna on request) sample during loading, run witness or independent tests and issue a Certificate of Inspection with sealed retained samples.
Contractual guarantee — the specification is guaranteed at the port of loading and binding under the sales contract; voyage condition is governed by the B/L and marine insurance. Laycan discipline with documented NOR / SOF keeps the verified lot and the vessel aligned.

Documentation per ASTM D632 shipment

Certificate of Analysis per lot (NaCl per ASTM E534), issued by the port laboratory before B/L
Gradation report (AASHTO T 27 / ASTM C136) against the tender's sieve table
AASHTO M-143 compliance letter
ASTM D632 conformance statement
SDS per OSHA HazCom
Bill of Lading + Certificate of Origin + Commercial Invoice
Optional third-party TÜV Austria / SGS / Intertek inspection report

ASTM D632 vs related standards

Standard	Region	Min NaCl	Particle
ASTM D632 Grade 1	USA / Canada	95%	Graded, 100 % passing 12.5 mm to 0–15 % passing 600 µm
ASTM D632 Grade 2	USA	95%	Separate grading — see the standard
AASHTO M 143	US state DOTs	per spec	AASHTO's sodium chloride specification
EN 16811-1 Grade A	EU	96%	0/2 / 0/4 / 0/6.3
EN 16811-1 Grade B	EU	95%	2/8
BS 3247:2011	UK	95%	1-6 mm typical
GOST 13830 Grade I	CIS	97%	0.5-5 mm

Applications: road salt, water treatment. Market context: industrial salt in Egypt.

Request an ASTM D632 quote →
Compare with AASHTO M-143 (US Federal) →
US import guide →

Priced offers

Ready for a quote?

FOB / CIF / CFR pricing from 8 Egyptian ports — turnaround once stock, laycan and freight are confirmed.

Request Quote

More in Standards

BS 3247:2011 — UK + Ireland Highway Deicing Salt Standard

BS 3247:2011 UK Highway deicing salt standard. 1.0-6.0 mm particle size, 97% NaCl minimum, ≤1.5% moisture, E535 anti-caking. Egyptian sea + rock salt SKUs compliant.

GOST 13830 — CIS Deicing Salt Standard (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan)

GOST 13830 CIS deicing salt standard for Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. Grade I (97% NaCl) + Grade II (95% NaCl, bulk). Egyptian rock + sea salt EAC mark compliant.

ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management — Egyptian Salt Supplier Trust Marker

ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification for Egyptian salt suppliers. Why it matters for B2B procurement. Egypt Globe Group ISO 9001:2015 certified. Buyer trust + supplier risk-screening.

AASHTO M-143 Sodium Chloride for Highway Use — Specification Guide

AASHTO M-143 is the US standard for de-icing sodium chloride used by state DOTs and federal highway agencies. Covers chemical composition (≥96.5% NaCl), gradation (Type 1 Coarse, Type 2 Fine), moisture, anti-caking. Egyptian sea + rock salt available to spec.

Frequently asked questions

What are ASTM D632 Grade 1 and Grade 2?

They are gradings defined by the percentage of salt passing a set of sieves. Grade 1 requires 100 % passing 12.5 mm, 95–100 % passing 9.5 mm, 20–90 % passing 4.75 mm, 10–60 % passing 2.36 mm and 0–15 % passing 600 µm — a graded mix down to fines, which is what most state DOT road-salt contracts call for. Grade 2 is a separate grading in the standard for special applications; check its table against the edition the tender cites.

What chemical limit does ASTM D632 set for sodium chloride?

At least 95 % NaCl on a dry basis, with ASTM E534 as the referee method for the chemical analysis. Moisture, anti-caking and heavy-metal limits come from the purchasing state's contract — New York, for example, allows 1.5 % moisture for rock salt and 2.5 % for solar salt at delivery, Vermont 1.0 %.

Which Egyptian salt SKUs are offered against ASTM D632?

PS-ROCK-DEIC-US and PS-SEA-DEIC-US (US/Canada grade) and PS-ROCK-DEIC-US-FINE and PS-SEA-DEIC-US-FINE (fine 2.0–4.75 mm, a screened band rather than an ASTM D632 grading); Grade 2, or any other grading, is produced to the tender's sieve table. Rock salt is guaranteed at a minimum 97.00 % NaCl and sea salt typically assays 96.5–97.0 %; each lot's gradation is reported on the Certificate of Analysis against the sieve table in the buyer's tender.

Which documents do state DOT contracts reference alongside ASTM D632?

Contracts cite ASTM D632 or AASHTO M 143, AASHTO's sodium chloride specification, together with ASTM E534 for chemical analysis and AASHTO T 27 / ASTM C136 for sieve analysis, and add their own moisture, gradation-penalty and delivery clauses.

Are heavy metals tested on ASTM D632 de-icing salt?

Only where the contract adds a water-quality clause. Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury are then reported by atomic absorption on the lot's Certificate of Analysis.

Other questions? Email our export desk — the export desk replies to every request.