Join us at the 2025 Sulphur + Sulphuric Acid Expoconference in The Woodlands, Texas, 3-5November, for a truly global gathering of the sulphur and sulphuric acid community, where leading market and technology experts and producers will gather to connect, share knowledge, exchange ideas and learn about market trends and the latest developments in operations, technology, processes and equipment.
Almost one third of sulphuric acid production, and a much greater share of globally traded acid, comes from smelting of base metal sulphides and the recovery of SO2 from flue gases. Smelter acid production continues to increase, particularly from copper, creating an imbalance in the sulphuric acid market.
Mining giant Glencore says it has no choice but to start work on placing the loss-making Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery in Australia into care and maintenance until market conditions improve. The company expects to report a A$2.2 billion (US$1.44 billion) loss from the operations between 2025 and 2031.
Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund Danantara has signed a heads of agreement with Shenzhen-based GEM Limited to jointly develop a high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) nickel facility with a capacity of 66,000 t/a of nickel. The project carries an estimated value of $1.42 billion. GEM is a global leader in green metallurgy and circular economy solutions, known for its large-scale recycling of electric vehicle batteries and electronic waste.
Aurubis says that it has successfully completed scheduled maintenance at its Pirdop plant on time. The two-month operation marked the largest planned maintenance shutdown at the site in the past 30 years. With an investment of €115 million, Aurubis says the work ensures the long-term reliability and performance of the facility. Key upgrades included a full overhaul of the flash smelter, replacement of two electrostatic precipitators, and a major modernisation of the sulphuric acid production line. This modernisation involved installing a new converter and replacing six heat exchangers.
Copper production in Chile may stall at around 5.5 million t/a because of the growing challenges mining companies face, according to Maximo Pacheco, chairman of state-owned Codelco.
Marimaca Copper Corp. says that it has recently executed a binding asset purchase option agreement to acquire a used sulphuric acid plant in Chile from CEMIN Holding Minero. Sulphuric acid is one of the key input costs for the Marimaca Oxide Deposit, and the ability to produce a significant amount of its own supply will reduce exposure to a volatile acid market. The agreement has an exclusivity period of three months to allow further detailed technical and engineering reviews including capital and operating cost estimates for the installation and operation of the 150,000 t/a sulphuric acid plant, whose output would represent approximately 30-40% of total acid consumption at the Marimaca Oxide Deposit, depending on the phase of development. Marimaca says that, based on market research and quotations received, the estimated equipment cost of a new sulphuric acid plant of similar capacity is approximately $35-40 million, with a total installation cost of $50-60 million. The cost of breaking down and relocating the plant to the site at Mejillones and the start-up costs of the used plant are expected to be materially lower than cost of new equipment. Indicative operating costs show the potential for an approximately 30% reduction in acid cost relative to current long-term forecast and normal historical spot and contract acid prices delivered to Mejillones.
• The global sulphur market is forecast to enter a downward trend as supply from Saudi Arabia normalises following the summer months, while demand decreases alongside demand for phosphate fertilizers. The price is expected to fall towards the end of the year, with a low of around $220/t by May 2026.
The global sulphur market registered price increases during August as a result of demand in Asia and North Africa, while supply has tightened due to limited supply from the FSU and Saudi Arabia, as well as logistical constraints in both Iranian ports and railway capacity to Black Sea ports.
The El Teniente mine, located in the O'Higgins region, suffered a collapse on 31 July. The collapse in the Andesita sector of the mine is understood to have been as a result of seismic activity that registered 4.2 on the Richter scale. It remains unknown whether the seismic activity was caused by the mining operations or natural activity, according to industry sources. Underground operations are to be halted for an unknown period of time while the open air sector, which represents around 10% of the total production, will remain open, according to industry participants.