Recovery Builds as Dedicated Output Fades.

Chemical Week, November, 1998 by Westervelt, Robert

Despite its status as the world's largest-volume chemical-45 million m.t./year in the U.S. alone-sulfuric acid (H2SO4) maintains a much lower profile than other inorganics, because most market activity is not apparent. Of the 60 producers in the U.S., more than half produce only for captive use, according to SRI Consulting (Menlo Park, CA). A handful of producers-Rhodia, Kennecott, BHP Copper, Phelps Dodge, and DuPont-account for more than 50% of merchant supply.

Phosphate fertilizer makers account for 70% of H2SO4 demand globally and meet their needs with captive production. The rest of the market is extremely fragmented, split between pigments, dyes, drugs, explosives, detergents, specialty sulfuric salts and acids, and catalysts for petroleum refining and...

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