Iodine – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the ninth 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 iodine.   The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.

Uses.  Uses of iodine and approximate percentages of the uses include:

Ø  To promote contrast in x-ray images – 22%;

Ø  As components of pharmaceuticals – 14%;

Ø  In LCD displays – 12%;

Ø  In chemical catalysis and other chemical processes – 12%;

Ø  As a disinfectant/sterilizer – 12%;

Ø  As an animal feed supplement – 10%;

Ø  In human nutrition – 4%; and

Ø  Others – 18%.

Iodine has good chemical reactivity, which accounts for many of its uses.  Also, compounded average growth rates for many iodine uses are expected to be fairly good, in the 4 to 5% range.

Prices.  An average 2019 global iodine price range is estimated to be $30 per kilogram (kg).       

Production.  Iodine is found in certain minerals (those consisting of iodine are rather rare) and brine deposits, from which, using chemical processes, iodine can be produced.  The estimated 2019 iodine production amount is 30,000 mt.  Using a price of $30 per kg (see Prices above), this provides a value of iodine produced in 2019 of $900 million (30,000 mt times $30 per kg).