In the process of making sodium carbonate from trona involving the steps of crushing the trona, calcining the crushed trona, dissolving the calcined trona to obtain a solution comprising sodium carbonate and insoluble impurities contaminated by soluble silicates and soluble carbonaceous matter, contamination of the sodium carbonate solution with soluble carbonaceous matter is reduced by the improvement which comprises calcining the crushed trona at temperature of 300.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. in the presence of magnesium oxide. When the trona is calcined in the presence of magnesium oxide at temperature of 350.degree. to 600.degree. C., then the sodium carbonate solution is low in both soluble carbonaceous matter as well as insoluble silicates.