Sulfuric Acid is in global short supply.
This is the time of year I travel to state agricultural trade shows. The fertilizer, chemical, and ag equipment folks all exhibit their wares. My company supplies micronutrient zinc fertilizer and we import manganese from China. Our sulfuric acid price has nearly doubled and spot prices have gone from $50-60 to $250+. Thus we need to raise our prices. (We use sulfuric acid to dissolve zinc oxide, converting it to zinc sulfate.)
Sulfuric acid is produced AND used by smelters. There are different processes at different smelters. In the case of sulfide ore, the ore is "roasted" thus oxidizing the metals, and the sulfur gas is converted to sulfuric acid. The resulting roasted ore is referred to as "calcine". The sulfuric acid is then pumped into a dissolving process where the calcined metal oxide goes into a sulfate solution. This liquid then goes through a purification process. The "pregnant" metal solution is then "plated" out in an eloctrolitic plating process. Anyway, there is now a shortage of sulfuric acid and prices are rocketing.
We need to look into our investments in the metals and mining companies and watch out for the ones that are exposed to the shortage. Any company using sulfuric acid to "leach" metals could have a problem.
I will try to get more info and post this weekend.
Kipp
