Ammonium nitrate
Ammonium nitrate is a fast-acting nitrogen fertiliser and the main bulk explosive in mines and quarries, made from ammonia and nitric acid.
Commodity chemicals · Nitrogen & phosphate chemicals · No. 20
- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 25 Mt (2024, IndexBox); other industry estimates put output near 45-50 Mt (Astute Analytica 2025, indicative (unverified)), so the true total is uncertain
- 2.0 t CO₂e per t
- HS 310230
The same white granules that feed Europe's wheat also blast open coal mines, and in 2020 levelled Beirut's port.
Chart: Illustration: Ammonium nitrate
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
About half the ammonia is burnt over platinum gauze to nitric acid, which is then neutralised with the rest of the ammonia and prilled or granulated.
Three things to know
- Russia makes about 12 Mt, 47% of the 25 Mt IndexBox records, though China is largely missing from that count.
- Unabated nitrous oxide from the nitric acid step can add about 1.5 t CO2e to each tonne of ammonium nitrate.
- India needs about 1 Mt a year for fertiliser and coal mining, and new plants at Chambal and Smartchem add 617 kt.
The journey
- 1 AmmoniaAbout 0.44 t per tonne
- 2 Nitric acidHalf the ammonia burnt to acid
- 3 NeutralisationAcid and ammonia make hot melt
- 4 PrillingPorous prills for blasting, dense for farms
- 5 Secure storageLicensed storage and transport rules
- 6 Field or mineSpread in spring or mixed with fuel oil