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10th January 2014

Sulphuric Acid
(Asia Pacific)
Editor: Kate Wilcock, kate.wilcock@icis.com

SPOT PRICES
Click for Price History Price Range
98% Sulphuric Acid
FOB CHINA USD/MT n/c 20-25 n/c
CFR S.E. ASIA* USD/MT n/c 20-30 n/c
CFR INDIA* USD/MT n/c 25-35 n/c
*NOTE: The low end of the range reflects indications for Japanese and Korean smelter acid, and the higher end for product of
other origins.

CONTRACT PRICES

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Click for Price History Price Range
98% Sulphuric Acid
CFR N.E. ASIA Q4 USD/MT -5 15-35 n/c
CFR S.E. ASIA Q4 USD/MT n/c 20-45 n/c
NOTE: for full details on the criteria ICIS pricing uses in making these price assessments visit www.icispricing.com and
click on “methodology”.
Overview
mp
Prices in the Asia-Pacific sulphuric acid market remain stable
this week, although there are signs of some strengthening,
Southeast Asia and India

with a near doubling of sulphur values during the last quarter
and pockets of spot demand.
Between October and December 2013, sulphur values
increased by $85/tonne on a CFR China basis.
There are also signs that supply and demand are more
balanced, with talk of lower stocks in Japan and South Korea
and demand from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Petrokimia Gresik has announced that its new phosphoric acid
plant is on track for commercial operation in the second
quarter this year and will see an extra 200,000 tonnes of
sulphuric acid demand (see News).
Sa
In the Philippines, PASAR is understood to have had a
ceremonial start-up over the New Year period as power was
reconnected to the plant. Market participants are divided to an
actual start-up date, with expectations spanning from late
January to March. Wider recovery efforts from the typhoon are
ongoing, with the adjacent Philphos fertilizer plant not
expected on line until March.
Still in the Philippines, there is understood to be spot demand
from the Taganito nickel project, which started commercial
production in October 2013, and has an annual consumption of
around 800,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid.
In Indonesia, Petrokimia Gesik is covered for its requirements

until March, following a spot purchase for January arrival at

Northeast Asia and China
In Japan, a number of shipments from the region to Chile were
noted by shipping sources in the past month, likely contract
volumes.
Japanese and South Korean producers are understood to be
covering their contract commitments to Chile and India as well
as within the Asia-Pacific region, with few cargoes available for
spot buying.
In China, domestic prices for sulphuric acid were stable this
week, with demand from the phosphate sector on par with
recent weeks.
The average diammonium phosphate (DAP) plant operating
rate is 60-70% this week and average monoammonium
phosphate (MAP) rates are 45-50%.
Prices in southern China are steady at yuan (CNY) 150-
290/tonne and prices in eastern China are at CNY160-
350/tonne.
around $25/tonne CFR via Glencore, from PASAR.
In India, most buyers are said to be covered by contract
volumes and any extra requirements are being met from their
contract suppliers.
Sulphur
Global sulphur spot price ideas continue to gain strength on
the back of the recent sharp price rises in China and the
Middle East.
Sulphur traders were said to be holding back on sales in
anticipation of higher prices still to come, but sources said
demand in the sulphuric acid market remains low and demand
for fertilizers is still limited.
Sulphur spot offers in the key China market are heard as high
as $180/tonne CFR China. The upward price trend has been
evident since September 2013, largely because of refinery run
cuts in the Middle East.

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 Sulphuric Acid (Asia)

Page 2 of 3

In India, FACT will be looking to buy 15,000-25,000 tonnes of
sulphur for February delivery, but a tender has yet to be
announced. Despite talk of tight availability, FACT is confident
about securing all the volumes it needed.
Diammonium Phosphate (DAP)
Market players in India are still focusing on first-quarter
phosphoric acid negotiations, which are expected to offer a
clear indication on DAP and phosphate rock prices.
Buyers are in no hurry to make purchases due to high
inventories and are expected to come back to the market in the
second quarter.
Chemical tanker freight rate indications:
SE Asia to India: $31-35/tonne (based on 10,000-15,000
tonnes)
NE Asia to India: $65-68/tonne (based on 2,000 tonnes)
Singapore to Bangkok/Jakarta/Philippines: $28-38/tonne
(based on 1,000-3,000 tonnes)
South Korea to China: $19-31/tonne (based on 1,000-10,000
tonnes)
Japan/South Korea/China to Chile: $70-80/tonne (based on
18,500-22,500 tonnes)

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In China, producers are similarly not rushing to make exports Freight Fixtures
as prices are not at a workable level compared to domestic
prices. Producers are heard to be focusing on the domestic 18,500 tonnes sulphuric acid Japan/Chile 25 December- 5
market which offers better returns and DAP operating rates are January, ‘Maemi II’, RNR, CNR
heard around 60%.
18,500 tonnes sulphuric acid, Japan/Chile, 1-10 January,
Strong demand is heard from Australia and South America and ‘Princes Park’, RNR
with India inactive for the time being, it is expected that
business and prices will pick up in those regions. 30,000 tonnes sulphuric acid Japan/Chile 27-30 December,
‘Chembulk New Orleans’, RNR

News
mp 17,000 tonnes sulphuric acid Stetin (Poland)/ Beaumont (USA)
15-25 December $40/tonne
In Indonesia, PT Petrokimia Gresik (PKG) announced this
week that its new phosphoric acid plant, PT Petro Jordan 20,500 tonnes sulphuric acid Japan/Chile 17-23 December,
Abadi Company, is on track to start commercial operation in ‘Fairchem Kiso’, RNR
the second quarter this year, which will also see sulphuric acid Freight enquiries:
capacity near doubled.
10,000-19,000 tonnes sulphuric acid + phosphoric acid,
The new plant will have the capacity to produce 200,000 Tuticorin/east coast India, early January
tonnes/year of phosphoric acid, and with upgrades to its
current capacity of 200,000 tonnes, total output will be
increased to 600,000 tonnes. Related Markets
Sulphuric acid capacity will be increased by 600,000 tonnes, Prices in markets related 19 Dec 12 Dec
adding to its currently capacity of 570,000 tonnes. A company 9 Jan 2 Jan
to sulphuric acid '13 '13
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source said an additional 200,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid will

need to be imported on top of current requirements once the Copper, cash buyer LME
new plant is operational. 7,281 7,439 7,218 7,229
($/tonne)
It is understood some local supply contracts are already in
place to meet the extra demand, with the remainder likely to be Zinc, cash buyer LME
2,014 2,081 1,976 1,951
imported. ($/tonne)

In Australia, Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) operator of Nickel, cash buyer LME
13,360 13,900 14,065 14,000
the Ranger uranium mine, which was closed in December ($/tonne)
2013 following a leach tank failure, announced in its fourth-
quarter operations review on 9 January that for the year ended DAP bulk China FOB 400- 400-
390-400 390-400
31 December 2013 production was 2,960 tonnes, down 20% ($/tonne)* 405 405
on 2012 figures.
DAP bulk Pakistan CFR 405- 405-
395-400 395-400
For the December 2013 quarter, production was 503 tonnes, ($/tonne)* 410 410
17% lower than the previous quarter and 59% lower than the
corresponding quarter in 2012. Clean-up and recovery activity Sulphur China CFR 165- 150-
135-150 130-148
following the leach tank failure are continuing, with processing ($/tonne)* 175 165
operations suspended pending an investigation and regulatory
approval.
*Source: ICIS/The Market Weekly Fertilizers Report
Freight Indications ($1 = CNY6.06)

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 Sulphuric Acid (Asia)

Page 3 of 3

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Copyright 2014 Reed Business Information Limited. ICIS pricing is a member of the Reed Elsevier plc group.