CRU welcomes you to the 2026 Sulphur+Sulphuric Acid 2026 Conference and Exhibition at the Estrel in Berlin 3-5 November. Join us 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.
Coal India Limited (CIL) says that it has executed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Private Limited (AMNS), to examine the use of syngas from a gasification facility which CIL would set up next to the ArcelorMittal’s Paradip pellet plant in Odisha state. The company says that it will be “exploring the possibility of utilising syngas produced from a coal gasification facility… coupled with CCUS.” The focus of the MoU will initially be to assess the technical, commercial, and implementation aspects of the project and to facilitate preparation of a preliminary feasibility report for evaluating project viability.
Maire Group subsidiary Tecnimont has been awarded a contract by Fértil Pampa SAU, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pampa Energia SA, for a large-scale fertilizer complex in Argentina. The facility will include a large-scale ammonia plant and two parallel ultra-low energy urea trains, each with its own granulation unit, with a combined capacity of 6,000 t/d (2.1 million t/a), making it the largest urea plant in Latin America by production. It will occupy an 80-hectare site within the Bahía Blanca Industrial Complex, in Buenos Aires province. The location is adjacent to Pampa’s existing power generation assets, benefiting from direct access to key infrastructure, including gas pipelines, high-voltage transmission lines, water intake systems, and a deep-water export port, enabling efficient logistics.
Algeria’s Sonatrach and the Algerian Fertilizers Company (AFC) on 12 August signed engineering, procurement and construction contracts with Italy’s Saipem and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the first phase of the country’s Integrated Phosphate Project (PPI). The ceremony at Sonatrach’s Algiers headquarters was chaired by Hydrocarbons Minister Mohamed Arkab and attended by the Chinese and Italian ambassadors.
Sulphur magazine has a new name – Sulphur+Sulphuric Acid – to reflect what it has always represented: the close and enduring connection between the sulphur and sulphuric acid industries, and the wider value chains they support.
The board of Yunnan Yuntianhua gave the go ahead for the development of a massive underground phosphate mine in Yunnan province on 14th May. The major Chinese producer part owns the mine project through a 35% stake in its developer Julin New Materials. The other three owners are Yuntianhua Group (55%), Zhaotong Development Group (9%) and Zhenxiong Chanyi Investment (1%).
Arianne Phosphate has provided samples of its phosphate concentrate for processing at Travertine’s facility in Boulder, Colorado, US. Pilot scale testing was successfully performed, demonstrating proof of concept on the process and production of a high-quality purified phosphoric acid (PPA). The Travertine process captures and recycles over 95% of the sulphur used in the process of making PPA, providing a virtually closed loop system. The PPA produced using the process met specifications required for both LFP batteries as well as fertilizers. The companies have begun work to advance the PPA demonstration plant in Quebec’s Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, working with potential partners as well as end-users of the product.
Hongda's 100,000 t/a zinc smelter, in China's Sichuan Province, completed scheduled maintenance and equipment upgrading and officially resumed production on 21st June, the company said. The smelter had been shut down for planned maintenance since January, during which time a modernisation project for the electrolytic zinc smelting system was also carried out. Following the nearly six-month revamp, the resumption of production is expected to improve overall operational efficiency, reduce unit production costs, and increase the utilisation rate, The company said. The stable supply of sulphuric acid generated by the zinc smelter will effectively leverage the synergies of the "sulphur-phosphorus" industrial chain in the company, an help alleviate cost pressures on the company's phosphorus chemical business segment.
The immediate threat to Canadian sulphur supply from the Alberta oilsands has eased, after several large wildfires in the Lac la Biche region were classified as “being held” with the help of rainfall in early June. The region has a combined annual sulphur production capacity of nearly 3 million t/a. Around 700,000 t/a of this is produced in the Edmonton area, primarily from Shell’s Scotford upgrader (580,000 t/a) and the Redwater refinery (130,000 t/a). The majority of the output, approximately 2.2 million t/a, is concentrated further north near Fort McMurray at facilities operated by Suncor, Syncrude, and CNRL Horizon. The out-of-control fires prompted evacuation alerts near in-situ sites operated by Cenovus, Canadian Natural Resources, and ConocoPhillips. While this specific threat has passed, the event highlights the seasonal vulnerability of Canadian sulphur supply, with the wildfire season typically running through the summer.
Gouda Refractories Group has acquired Revestimientos Refractarios (RR), based in Madrid. Founded in 1979, RR specialises in the installation of refractory materials, serving customers across a wide range of industries, including petrochemicals, (waste to) energy, cement, and other industrial sectors. It is a trusted partner for the installation of refractory materials, hexmesh, anchoring, engineering, technical assistance, project management, inspections and supervision for shutdowns and turnarounds across the European Union. The company has a long history of cooperation with Gouda Refractories, which has intensified in recent years and which, due to a natural moment of succession, has led to this acquisition.