Tag: Phosphoric Acid

The latest developments in the recovery and commercialisation of fluorosilicic acid, rare earth elements (REEs) and uranium co-products associated with phosphoric acid production.

Buss ChemTech AG offers the international phosphate industry a robust solution to create added-value products from fluorosilicic acid (FSA). Thomas Dahlke, the head of the company’s process engineering department, and Emre Sen, sales manager for fluorine technologies, explain how this can be done in a sustainable manner.

As well as Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia all have major phosphate industries, and all of these countries have plans to expand their capability to extract and process phosphates, though Algeria and Tunisia remain hampered by political instability.

INEOS Enterprises has announced the completion of the sale of its Sulphur Chemicals business to International Chemical Investors Group, for an undisclosed sum. INEOS Sulphur Chemicals business is Spain’s largest dedicated manufacturer of sulphuric acid and oleum, serving clients in both agriculture and chemical intermediates via its 400,000 t/a plant in Bilbao. The business will become part of WeylChem’s advanced intermediates and reagents portfolio, which includes an existing sulphuric acid and oleum plant located in Lamotte, northern France. WeylChem is wholly owned by the International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG).

Vacuum filtration is a key process step in phosphoric acid production. We highlight the main equipment options and recent project installations.

Philippe Malsan of Technip Energies explains how high recovery Diplo phosphoric acid technology can generate phosphogypsum suitable for industrial reuse. Industrial cases studies for Senegal and Austria show how phosphogypsum from this process has been successfully recycled on a large scale for cement, plaster and other end uses.

While the covid pandemic has kept refinery run rates down in 2020, new refinery sulphur capacity will nevertheless form the bulk of new additions to sulphur production over the next few years. But delays to projects on both the supply and demand sides could tip a fairly balanced market in either direction.

The economic conversion of phosphogypsum waste into a valuable product has been pursued for decades. Results of intensive research by thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (tkIS) in this area are presented by Peter Stockhoff, Dirk Koester, Stefan Helmle and Carsten Fabian. The approach developed by tkIS shows great potential as a controlled treatment process for phosphogypsum.

Newly-developed froth flotation equipment and reagents are improving selectivity and the grade and recovery of phosphate concentrates.

After many years of slow decline, Canadian sulphur exports have begun to rise slightly, but dwindling US markets are seeing a move towards more sulphur forming to expand export opportunities.