Bromine – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the second in a series of blogs I plan to write providing use, price, and production data on high-use inorganic and organic chemicals.  Click here to see the first blog in this series and a list of chemicals to be featured.  This blog provides data on bromine.

Uses.  The highest use of bromine is in compounds that have flame retarding capabilities.  These compounds are added to flammable products and should the products catch fire, liberated bromine acts to suppress/retard processes occurring in the fire (combustion).  About 50% of bromine use is in fire-retarding compounds.  Other bromine uses (as compounds containing bromine) include:

Ø  In fluids used in enhancing drilling-related activities, e.g., in oil and gas wells;

Ø  In water treatment;

Ø  In removing mercury from gas emissions;

Ø  In the dye industry;

Ø  In photographic processes;

Ø  As a catalyst;

Ø  In pharmaceutical products;

Ø  In flow batteries;

Ø  In the rubber/tire industry; and

Ø  In agriculture.

Elemental bromine, which is a liquid at room temperature, has no substantial uses, other than to react to form compounds used as given above.

Prices.  2018 metric ton (mt) prices appearing on the Internet and calculated from revenue and mt production data (e.g., estimated $3.0 to $3.4 billion bromine sales divided by estimated 600,000 to 700,000 mt bromine production amounts) is in the $4,200 to $5,700 per mt range.

Production.  2018 bromine production estimates are in the 600,000 to 700,000 mt range.  And revenues from bromine sales are in the $3.0 to $3.4 billion range.  Most bromine is produced in the United States, Israel, Jorden, and China.  Three companies (Israel Chemicals, Ltd.; Albemarle; and Lanxess) account for the majority of bromine production.  Bromine is found in seawater, underground brine deposits, and other water reservoirs such as the Dead Sea.  Global bromine demand roughly correlates with gross domestic product growth. 

Israel Chemicals, Ltd.’s (ICL) 2018 annual report indicates that the company accounts for its bromine sales in one of four segments – the Industrial Products segment.  Revenues for this segment (mostly bromine sales) was $1.3 billion.  Revenues are from elemental bromine sales and from bromine compounds produced internally.  Segment operating profit was 27% of revenues ($350 million divided by $1.3 billion).  Such a percentage seems quite good.