Tag: Sulphuric Acid

The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) says that the Ministry of Energy has approved the allocation of feedstock for its fourth phosphate project. This project aims to produce approximately 1.1 million t/a of ammonia and increase the production of phosphate and specialty fertilizers by about 2.5 million t/a, raising the company’s total production capacity to nearly 12 million t/a. This will further solidify Ma’aden’s position as one of the world’s largest producers of phosphate fertilizers, according to a company statement. Ma’aden will now commence engineering studies and obtain the necessary approvals.

Metso says it has won a €180 million order for the delivery of engineering and key process equipment for a new primary copper smelter investment at an undisclosed location in Asia. The planned production capacity of the copper smelter complex is 300,000 t/a of copper cathodes and 1.1 million t/a of sulphuric acid, based on licensed Outotec® Flash Smelting, PS Converting and Lurec® technologies. It includes the design and supply of key process equipment for the main areas of the smelter complex, and the gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plant, copper electrolytic refinery, and precious metals refinery. The delivery also comprises site services and spares.

Ecovyst Inc, a provider of sulphuric acid, sulphuric acid regeneration services and catalyst activation services, has announced today that it has completed the sale of its Advanced Materials & Catalysts segment to Technip Energies. The company expects net proceeds after taxes and transaction expenses to be approximately $530 million.

Australia’s Nickel Industries is to sell a 10% share of the Excelsior Nickel Cobalt high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) project in Indonesia to South Korea’s Sphere Corp. The $240 million price tag represents a $2.4 billion valuation for the company. Sphere will acquire the stake from Hong Kong-based Decent Resource, while Nickel Industries will retain its 44% stake in the project, according to Nickel Industries.

PT Vale Indonesia Tbk says it has officially received the first two autoclave units for the Pomalaa high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) project, a key component of the Indonesia Growth Project (IGP) Pomalaa. This delivery marks a critical milestone in preparing Indonesia’s high-tech nickel processing facility for operation. The welcoming ceremony was attended by PT Vale and PT Kolaka Nickel Industry (KNI) management, along with strategic project partners including Indonesia Pomalaa Industrial Park (IPIP), Huayou Southern Construction Command, MCC20, and other stakeholders.

Ivanhoe Mines says that the first copper anodes were produced by Kamoa-Kakula’s 500,000 t/a direct-to-blister copper smelter on December 29, 2025, approximately five weeks after the commencement of the smelter’s heat-up and one week after the first feed of concentrate.

Metso has booked the third part of its order for JSC Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex’s copper smelter project based on the equipment and project services delivery contracts announced on August 9, 2024. The first parts of the order, worth €146 million were booked in 4Q 2024, and the second part, worth €50 million in 1Q 2025. The order value recorded in 4Q 2025 is €70 million.

CRU’s annual Sulphur+Sulphuric Acid Expoconference was held from November 3rd to 5th, at The Woodlands, Texas.

The global sulphur market’s bullish momentum from late 2025 has firmly carried over into the New Year, with prices pushing forward across most key regions despite a slow return to spot trading after the holiday break. With spot prices now past their 2022 highs and testing levels not seen since the 2008 peak, affordability has become the market’s central theme. The market remains divergent, with some buyers forced to accept the rally due to tight supply, while others, particularly in China, are showing clear signs of demand destruction.

Around 1 million gallons of sulphuric acid was released from an industrial facility, some of it into the Houston Ship Channel, in late December. A pipeline ruptured when an elevated walkway collapsed at the BWC Terminals facility in Channelview, east of Houston. Two people were transported to a hospital and subsequently released, while 44 others were treated and released at the scene. BWC Terminals said in a statement the majority of the sulphuric acid released was into a designated containment area, with a smaller, unknown amount entering the ship channel.