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).