Phenol (Benzenol) – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the twenty-third 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 phenol.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals.  

Uses.  Uses of phenol include: 

Ø  As a starting material in making many chemical products, especially polymers;

Ø  As an antiseptic and disinfectant. 

Prices.  The 2019 average global phenol price is believed to be in the range of $1,000 to $1,200 per metric ton (mt). 

Production.  Phenol is produced through a series of reactions starting with benzene (obtained in petroleum processing).  Also needed in the reactions are propene, oxygen, and a catalyst. 

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of phenol is in the 12 to 14 million mt range.  Using 12 and 14 million mt produced and the prices of $1,000 and $1,200 per mt (see Prices above) gives 2019 global revenues generated by phenol in the $12 to $16.8 billion range (12 million mt times $1,000 per mt; 14 million mt times $1,200 per mt).

 

Urea (Carbamide) – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the twenty-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 urea.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals. 

Uses.  Uses of urea include:

Ø  As a nitrogen-containing fertilizer (85 to 90% of total);

Ø  As a starting material in manufacturing other chemicals and products;

Ø  As a livestock feed;

Ø  In reducing nitric oxides (a pollutant) in exhaust gases; and

Ø  In various medical and personal care products.

Prices.  The 2019 average global urea price is believed to be in the range of $240 to $250 per metric ton (mt).

Production.  Urea is produced by reacting ammonia with carbon dioxide.  Urea production is almost always co-located with ammonia production.

 

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of urea is in the 180 to 220 million mt range.  Using 180 and 220 million mt produced and the prices of $240 and $250 per mt (see Prices above) gives 2019 global revenues generated by urea in the $43.2 to $55 billion range (180 million mt times $240 per mt; 220 million mt times $250 per mt).

Methyl Tertiary-butyl Ether (MTBE) – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the twenty-first 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 methyl tertiary-butyl ether.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals. 

Uses.  Uses of methyl tertiary-butyl ether include:

Ø  As a gasoline additive to prevent knocking (~90% of use); and

Ø  As an industrial solvent.

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether works to reduce knocking by providing oxygen to the gasoline mixture.

Use of methyl tertiary-butyl ether as a gasoline additive is prohibited in the United States and other countries due to environmental concerns; this is a trend in other countries effecting methyl tertiary-butyl ether production growth.

Prices.  2019 global methyl tertiary-butyl ether prices are believed to be in the range of $700 to $800 per metric ton (mt).

Production.  Ethyl tertiary-butyl ether is produced by reacting methanol with isobutylene using an acid catalyst.

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of methyl tertiary-butyl ether is in the 18 to 21 million mt range.  Using 18 and 21 million mt produced and the prices of $700 and $800 per mt (see Prices above) gives 2019 global revenues generated by methyl tertiary-butyl ether in the $12.6 to $16.8 billion range (18 million mt times $700 per mt; 21 million mt times $800 per mt).

Titanium Dioxide – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the twentieth 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 titanium dioxide.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals. 

Uses.  Uses of titanium dioxide include:

Ø  As pigments used in: paints; papers; inks; fibers; rubber; cosmetic products; and food (90 to 95% of use);

Ø  As a source of titanium metal;

Ø  In sunscreens; and

Ø  In various catalyst systems.

Titanium dioxide’s use as a pigment is based on its refractive index value.

Prices.  2019 global titanium dioxide prices are believed to be in the range of $2,200 to $2,900 per metric ton (mt).

Production.  Titanium dioxide is produced primarily from two minerals, rutile and ilmenite, using either sulfuric acid or chlorine as oxidizing agents.

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of titanium dioxide is in the 5 to 6 million mt range.  Using 5 and 6 million mt produced and the prices of $2,200 and $2,900 per mt (see Prices above) gives 2019 global revenues generated by titanium dioxide in the $11 to $17.4 billion range (5 million mt times $2,200 per mt; 6 million mt times $2,900 per mt).

Sulfuric Acid – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the nineteenth 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 sulfuric acid.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals. 

Uses.  Uses of sulfuric acid include:

Ø  In making phosphate fertilizers (50 to 60% of use);

Ø  In various processes in several industries such as: paper; petroleum; metal processing; and paints; and

Ø  For producing various products such as: detergents; resins; pharmaceuticals; and insecticides.

Prices.  2019 global sulfuric acid prices are believed to be in the range of $35 to $40 per metric ton (mt).

Most sulfur used to produce sulfuric acid is produced as a byproduct, suggesting that the sulfur raw material cost in making sulfuric acid is exceptionally low, reducing the market price of sulfuric acid.        

Production.  Sulfuric acid is produced from sulfur by reacting sulfur with oxygen to produce sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide, which is added to water to produced sulfuric acid.

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of sulfuric acid is in the 270 to 275 million mt range.  Using 270 and 275 million mt produced and the prices of $35 and $40 per mt (see Prices above) gives global revenues generated by sulfuric acid in 2019 in the $9.5 to $11 billion range (270 million mt times $35 per mt; 275 million mt times $40 per mt).

Sulfur – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the eighteenth 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 sulfur.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals. 

Uses.  Uses of sulfur include:

Ø  In the production of sulfuric acid (85-95% of use);

Ø  In rubber production;

Ø  As a plant nutrient (fertilizer);

Ø  As a raw material in synthesizing sulfur-containing inorganic and organic chemicals, used in many industries and as finished products; and

Ø  In gunpowder and matches.

Most of the sulfuric acid produced is used to make phosphate fertilizers.   Sulfuric acid is produced from sulfur by reacting sulfur with oxygen to produce sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide, which is added to water to produced sulfuric acid.

Prices.  From the internet, 2019 global sulfur prices are estimated to range from $80 to $100 per metric ton (mt).   

Production.  Sulfur can be obtained from elemental sulfur deposits in the earth crust and from sulfur-containing minerals.  However, most sulfur is extracted out of natural gas and petroleum as a byproduct.

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of sulfur is in the 75 to 80 million mt range.  Using 75 and 80 million mt produced and the prices of $80 and $100 per mt (see Prices above) gives global revenues generated by sulfur in 2019 in the $6 to $8 billion range (75 million mt times $80 per mt; 80 million mt times $100 per mt).

Sodium Hydroxide – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the seventeenth 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 sodium hydroxide.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals. 

Uses.  Uses of sodium hydroxide include:

Ø  As a raw material (starting product) in making organic and inorganic compounds;

Ø  In the paper and pulp industry to dissolve and remove unwanted wood components;

Ø  In making soaps;

Ø  In the mining of bauxite to separate out aluminum;

Ø  In the oil, gas and other industries to absorbed-out unwanted materials;

Ø  To assist processing in the textile, glass making, and other industries;

Ø  In food processing;

Ø  As an industrial and household cleaner;

Ø  In cosmetic products;

Ø  In water treatment; and

Ø  As a pH modifier.

Sodium hydroxide use is primarily based on the activity of the hydroxyl ion.

Prices.  Average 2019 global sodium hydroxide prices are estimated to range from $450 to $550 per metric ton (mt).         

Production.   Sodium hydroxide production is primarily base on the electrolysis of sodium chloride to produce sodium and chlorine.  When the sodium is dissolved in water, sodium hydroxide is produced.

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of sodium hydroxide is in the 70 to 75 million mt range.  Using 70 and 75 million mt produced and the prices of $450 and $550 per mt (see Prices above) gives revenues generated by sodium hydroxide in 2019 in the $31.5 to $41.3 billion range (70 million mt times $450 per mt; 75 million mt times $550 per mt).

Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) – Uses, Prices, and Production

This blog is the sixteenth 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 sodium carbonate.  The primary purpose of these blogs is to present estimates of recent price, production, and sales revenues for the chemicals.  The last blog in this series will compare price, production, and sales data for all the chemicals. 

Uses.  Uses of sodium carbonate include:

Ø  In manufacturing glass (~50% of use);

Ø  In producing soaps and detergents (~5 to 10% of use);

Ø  In making paper;

Ø  In water treatment;

Ø  In various food processing activities;

Ø  As a water softener;

Ø  As a pH modifier;

Ø  As an electrolyte;

Ø  As a wetting agent; and

Ø  As a foaming agent in tooth pastes.

Prices.  Average 2019 global sodium carbonate prices are estimated to range from $150 to $250 per metric ton (mt).         

Production.   Sodium carbonate can be produced synthetically by reacting sodium chloride, calcium carbonate (limestone), ammonia, and carbon dioxide (the Solvay Process).   This accounts for about 70% of sodium carbonate used globally.

Or sodium carbonate can be mined from naturally-occurring deposits (about 30% of sodium carbonate used globally).

From the internet, estimated 2019 global production of sodium carbonate is 58 million mt.  Using 58 million mt and an average per mt price of $200 (see Prices above) gives revenues generated by sodium carbonate in 2019 of $11.6 billion (58 million mt times $200 per mt).

Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert – June 2020

The purpose of this blog is to identify chemical and metal shortages reported on the Internet.  The sources of the information reported here are primarily news releases issued on the Internet.  The issue period of the news releases is June 2020.

Section I below lists those chemicals and metals that were on the previous month’s Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list and continue to have news releases indicating they are in short supply. Click here to read the May 2020 Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list.

Section II lists the new chemicals and metals (not on the May alert).  Also provided is some explanation for the shortage and geographical information.  This blog attempts to list only actual shortage situations – those shortages that are being experienced during the period covered by the news releases.  Chemicals and metals identified in news releases as only being in danger of being in short supply status are not listed.

Section I.

None

Section II.   Shortages Reported in June not found on the Previous Month’s List

Coronavirus protective and testing equipment:  United States; supply not keeping up with demand
Copper: global; mining not keeping up with demand

Reasons for Section II shortages can be broadly categorized as: 

1.  Mining not keeping up with demand: copper

2.  Production not keeping up with demand: none

3.  Government regulations: none

4.  Sources no longer available: none

5.  Insufficient imports:  none

6.  Supply not keeping up with demand: coronavirus protective and testing equipment