The phosphate fertilizer industry is turning to production methods that are able to consume low-grade phosphate rock and/ or generate pure gypsum as a by-product. Gypsum-free processes, and technologies that capture phosphorus from waste streams, are also on the rise.
At the end of June a three day strike among workers at Chilean state mining company Codelco paralysed copper output at the world’s largest copper producer. The strike was in protest at the threatened closure of the Ventanas smelter, which was the site of an alleged leak of sulphur dioxide on June 6th. Chile’s environmental regulator subsequently provisional measures for both Codelco and power company AES Chile after numerous people in the nearby towns of Quintero and Puchuncavi in central Chile, including hundreds of high school students and staff, showed signs of sulphur dioxide poisoning. The measures include the installation of a new temperature sensor to measure potential thermal inversions. Both companies have denied responsibility for the leak; Codelco says that its air quality stations recorded normal levels of SO2 during the time of the incident.
Meena Chauhan , Head of Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid Research, Argus Media, assesses price trends and the market outlook for sulphur.
The ongoing recovery from Covid-19 has led to an uptick of sulphur from refineries in regions including the US compared with a year ago. As travel around the global improves, increasing fuel demand points to higher operating rates and improved sulphur recovery.
The Sulphur Institute’s (TSI’s) annual Sulphur World Symposium was held in Tampa, Florida this year, from May 9th-11th.
E. Almeida and B. Ferraro of Clark Solutions discuss how regular monitoring by simple testing of the towers in sulphuric acid plants can improve the reliability and lifespan of the plant.
Acid output is expected to increase as copper mining and smelting increases; the copper market is moving moves from deficit to surplus, with copper output expected to rise 5% in 2022 as demand increases for electric vehicles.
Condensate formation in sulphuric acid plants can cause severe corrosion problems leading to high maintenance and plant downtime. Santhosh S . of Metso Outotec discusses the importance of carrying out regular monitoring and maintaining accurate and detailed data about condensate to increase equipment life and avoid downtime. Different sources of condensate formation in the plant are discussed as well as the typical locations in the plant where the condensates end up.
Copper leaching and smelting projects in Zambia and Zimbabwe continue to dominate acid production and consumption, with output expected to increase from the Kamoa-Kakula project.
We profile leading suppliers of tailor-made pumps and pipes to the phosphates and sulphur industries.