# Amino acids (lysine, methionine): Feedstocks

Why lysine lives in Jilin and methionine in chemical parks

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/feedstocks/

What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.

Lysine is a maize product: about 2 t of maize per t of lysine HCl (indicative), so maize is most of the cash cost. Methionine is a petrochemical: propylene, methanol, sulphur and natural gas. That split explains the geography: fermented amino acids sit in China's maize belt, methionine in integrated chemical parks in Europe, the US, Singapore and China.

#### Inputs per tonne

| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Mz Maize](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/maize/) | about 2-2.2 t per t lysine HCl (indicative) | carbon source for fermentation | roughly 60-70% of lysine cash cost (derived: about 2.1 t x RMB 2,090-2,300/t corn against RMB 6,800-7,000/t cash cost, 2024) | Faxian Gongchang 2026; derived, indicative |
| [Su Sugar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sugar/) | about 1.8-2 t sugar per t lysine (indicative) | carbon source outside China (Brazil, Indonesia) | similar | indicative |
| [Gas Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/natural_gas/) | not published | methionine nitrogen and sulphur chemistry | significant for methionine (indicative) | indicative |
| [S Sulfur](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sulfur/) | not published | methionine sulphur atom | small | indicative |
| **Propylene (as acrolein)** | not published | methionine carbon backbone | significant for methionine (indicative) | indicative |

#### Who is low-cost, and why

Large Chinese lysine makers in Jilin, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia with cheap maize and coal power are lowest cost (cash cost about RMB 6,800-7,000/t in 2024). For methionine, large integrated Evonik and Adisseo sites and Chinese entrants such as NHU compete on scale and HCN integration.

#### Raw materials on the commodity table
[Mz Maize](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/maize/)[Su Sugar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sugar/)[Gas Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/natural_gas/)

#### What it is made into

| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| [Fd Food and feed additives](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/) | amino acids are a core feed additive |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/amino_acids/links/index.md)