Abstract: A process is described for producing bromine which comprises heating a bromide salt at a temperature of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas, silicon dioxide and an oxidation catalyst preferably selected from the group consisting of B.sub.2 O.sub.3, CaO, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, Na.sub.2 B.sub.4 O.sub.7, ZnO, MgO, MnO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2, NaNO.sub.2 and mixtures thereof. A by-product silicate can optionally be formed which is useful in the glass industry.The process is useful in many industrial applications, especially in the formation of ethylene dichloride, an intermediate used in the manufacture of vinyl chloride monomer, which involves reacting ethylene with bromine to produce ethylene dibromide, reacting the ethylene dibromide with a chloride salt to produce ethylene dichloride and a bromide salt, and oxidizing the bromide salt to bromine for reaction with ethylene to complete the cycle.