Sulfuric Acid Market

Sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive strong mineral acid.

When hearing the words, "sulfuric acid," many people may remember their science teacher warning, "Don't touch it, it's dangerous." You probably don't come across sulfuric acid much in your daily life, but in fact it is a valuable basic chemical used for a wide range of purposes, including agricultural fertilizer manufacturing, leaching of copper from ore, and manufacture of synthetic fibers, paper and building materials.

There are two methods of producing sulfuric acid. One is to harness the reaction of sulfur, which may be familiar as the smell of a hot spring, with water to burn. The other is to use the reaction of sulfur dioxide gas, which is a by-product of nonferrous metal smelting, with water. The former accounts for two thirds of the world's total production of sulfuric acid, and the latter for one third.

There is enormous demand for sulfuric acid worldwide, with 0.2 billion tons produced globally per year. About 10 million tons are supplied via the seaborne trade. The world’s leading sulfuric acid trader isa japanese company : Sumitomo Corporation, which handles more than one third of this trade. In Japan, for example, annual production of sulfuric acid is about 7 million tons, and domestic demand is about 5 million tons. Therefore, remaining 2 million tons are sold to overseas customers.

Sulfuric acid is a very important commodity chemical, and indeed, a nation's sulfuric acid production is a good indicator of its industrial strength. World production is about 180 million tonnes, with the following geographic distribution:

Asia 35% - North America (including Mexico) 24% - Africa 11% - Western Europe 10% - Eastern Europe and Russia 10% - Australia and Oceania 7% - South America 7%.

Most of this amount (about 60%) is consumed for fertilizers, particularly superphosphates, ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfates. About 20% is used in chemical industry for production of detergents, synthetic resins, dyestuffs, pharmaceuticals, petroleum catalysts, insecticides and antifreeze, as well as in various processes such as oil well acidicizing, aluminium reduction, paper sizing, water treatment. About 6% of uses are related to pigments and include paints, enamels, printing inks, coated fabrics and paper, and the rest is dispersed into a multitude of applications such as production of explosives, cellophane, acetate and viscose textiles, lubricants, non-ferrous metals and batteries.

Since 1988, international commerce of sulfuric acid is controlled under the United Nations Convention. Transactions of sulfuric acid, such as sales, transfers, exports from and imports, are subject to regulation and monitoring.

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