ASTM D632 / AASHTO M-143 — US/Canada Deicing Salt Standard
ASTM D632 + AASHTO M-143 US/Canada deicing salt standard. Grade 1 (4.75-9.5 mm coarse) + Grade 2 (2.0-4.75 mm fine). Egyptian sea + rock salt compliant. State DOT specs.
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 ASTM D632 Grade 1 and Grade 2 rock salt from Siwa Oasis and Qattara Depression and sea salt from North Sinai and the Red Sea, each lot verified against the chemistry and sieve clauses by the port laboratory before the Bill of Lading.
Standard at a glance
| Clause | Requirement | EGG verification method | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| NaCl content | ≥ 95 % (dry basis); ≥ 96.5 % where the state spec adopts AASHTO M-143 | Chemical analysis per ASTM C114 at the port laboratory | Every lot, before B/L |
| Insoluble matter | ≤ 5.0 % | Gravimetric water-insolubles | Every lot |
| Moisture (loss on drying at 110 °C) | ≤ 3.0 %; ≤ 2.0 % for kiln-dried Type 1 where specified | Loss on drying at 110 °C; Karl Fischer for precise moisture | Every lot |
| Anti-caking (E535 sodium ferrocyanide) | Optional, ≤ 200 ppm | Dosing record + ferrocyanide assay | Every dosed lot |
| Grade 1 — Coarse | 4.75–9.5 mm (US sieve #4 to ⅜") | Sieve analysis per ASTM E11 | Every lot |
| Grade 2 — Fine | 2.0–4.75 mm (#10 to #4) | Sieve analysis per ASTM E11 | Every lot |
| Heavy metals (supplementary) | Pb / As / Cd / Hg ppm-level per state water-quality spec | Atomic absorption (AA) | Per contract |
| Pre-wetting compatibility (supplementary) | Brine absorption uniformity | Absorption uniformity test | Per contract |
| Sampling | Representative composite of the loaded lot | ASTM C702 sampling | Every lot; witnessed by Intertek / SGS / TÜV Austria when contracted |
Scope
Defines:
- Chemical composition limits for NaCl, insolubles, moisture, anti-caking
- Two grain-size grades (Grade 1 Coarse + Grade 2 Fine)
- Quality acceptance test methods
- Optional supplementary requirements (heavy metals, anti-caking, additives)
Grades
Grade 1 — Coarse
- Particle size range: 4.75-9.5 mm (US sieve #4 to ⅜")
- Use: traditional spreader bar trucks, low-speed traffic, high application rates, pre-treatment salt domes
- Application rate: 20-40 g/m² typical
Grade 2 — Fine
- Particle size range: 2.0-4.75 mm (#10 to #4)
- Use: pre-wetting brine prep, high-speed roads, faster melt response
- Application rate: 15-30 g/m² typical
Chemical composition
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| NaCl (sodium chloride) | ≥ 95% (dry basis) |
| Insoluble matter | ≤ 5.0% |
| Moisture (loss on drying at 110°C) | ≤ 3.0% |
| Sodium ferrocyanide (E535) anti-caking | Optional, ≤ 200 ppm |
Optional supplementary requirements
Some US state DOTs add tighter requirements via state specs:
Test methods
Egyptian compliance
Egypt Globe Group supplies ASTM D632-compliant rock salt:
Typical Egyptian assay:
- NaCl: 96.5-97.5% (rock; guaranteed minimum 97.00 %); 96.5-97.0% (sea) — exceeds 95% spec
- Insolubles: 1.0-2.0%
- Moisture: 1.0-2.0% (kiln-dried)
- Particle size: ≥90% within target window per Grade
Procurement workflow (US state DOT)
ASTM D632 is the chemistry + sieve specification; AASHTO M-143 is the product standard that state DOTs reference for procurement. Most state DOT salt contracts cite both:
- AASHTO M-143 (umbrella standard)
- ASTM D632 (chemistry + sieve definitions)
- ASTM C114 (chemical analysis test methods)
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.
Related: inspection & quality control, trade documentation, quality & compliance, de-icing-grade salt.
Documentation per ASTM D632 shipment
- Mill Test Certificate per ASTM C114 chemical analysis (per-lot CoA issued by the port laboratory before B/L)
- Gradation report per ASTM E11 sieve analysis
- 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
- AASHTO M-85 acceptance for federal highway projects
ASTM D632 vs related standards
| Standard | Region | Min NaCl | Particle |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTM D632 Grade 1 | USA | 95% | Coarse 4.75-9.5 mm |
| ASTM D632 Grade 2 | USA | 95% | Fine 2.0-4.75 mm |
| AASHTO M-143 | US Federal/State DOT | 96.5% | Adopts ASTM D632 + tighter NaCl |
| 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 |
| CGSB Grade 3 | Canada | 95% | Variable |
| GOST 13830 Grade I | CIS | 97% | 0.5-5 mm |
Applications: road salt, water treatment. Market context: industrial salt in Egypt.
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US import guide →
Contents· 12 sections
- 01ASTM D632 — Standard Specification for Sodium Chloride
- 02Standard at a glance
- 03Scope
- 04Grades
- 05Chemical composition
- 06Optional supplementary requirements
- 07Test methods
- 08Egyptian compliance
- 09Procurement workflow (US state DOT)
- 10How EGG certifies conformity
- 11Documentation per ASTM D632 shipment
- 12ASTM D632 vs related standards
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