Ammonium nitrate: Overview
Fertiliser for Europe, explosives for the world's mines
Fertiliser for Europe, explosives for the world's mines What this tab covers What the chemical is, how big its market is, what it is used for (with shares, volumes, why it wins and what could replace it), and its chain from raw material to end user. Ends with three things to remember.Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3, about 34% N) is made by neutralising nitric acid with ammonia, then prilling or granulating it. IndexBox estimates world output at about 25 Mt in 2024, almost half of it in Russia, though IndexBox omits much of China and other estimates run to 45-50 Mt. Farmers in Europe, Russia and Brazil use it, often as calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). Mines use porous technical grades mixed with fuel oil (ANFO) or in emulsions. Its nitric acid step emits nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, and it is a security risk: the 2020 Beirut blast was a stockpile of it. India is building domestic technical AN capacity for coal mining.
Volume 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 Market value about $10.2 billion consumption value (2024) Growth about 1.3% a year in volume to 29 Mt by 2035 (IndexBox forecast) IndexBox World Ammonium Nitrate Market (2025 summary); IndexBox figures are estimates and appear to undercount ChinaKey uses
| Use | Share | Annual volume | Why this commodity | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fertiliser: straight AN (Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Central Asia) | 45% | about 11 Mtbasis | Half of AN's nitrogen is nitrate, which plants take up at once, and half ammonium, which lasts longer. It loses far less nitrogen to the air than urea left on the soil surface. Russia alone used about 8.8 Mt in 2024, and Brazil 1.6 Mt for coffee, sugarcane and cotton. IndexBox (2025) consumption by country; share indicative | Urea (cheaper per unit N) UAN solution Ammonium sulphate |
| Fertiliser: calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) and AN-based compounds (Europe) | 25% | about 6 Mt of AN contentbasis | Mixing AN with ground dolomite or limestone gives CAN at 27% N, which is safer to store, less hygroscopic and adds calcium and magnesium. It is the standard nitrogen fertiliser for European cereals and grassland, where rules on ammonia losses favour nitrates over urea. indicative (no published split between straight AN and CAN found) | Urea with urease inhibitors UAN |
| Technical AN for mining and quarrying explosives (ANFO, emulsions) | 25% | about 6 Mtbasis | Porous AN prills soak up about 6% fuel oil to make ANFO, the cheapest bulk blasting agent. Emulsions use AN solution. Coal, iron ore, copper and gold mines consume it in thousands of tonnes; USGS says no practical substitutes for nitrogen explosives are known. USGS MCS 2026, Nitrogen; share indicative | None practical at scale (USGS) Mechanical cutting in some mines |
| Other: nitrous oxide gas, cold packs, chemical uses | 5% | about 1 Mtbasis | Heating AN gives medical and food-grade nitrous oxide. Small uses include instant cold packs and as a nitrogen source in yeast and chemicals. indicative | Other nitrogen salts |
From raw material to user
- Ammonia Made from gas or coal; about 0.43-0.44 t of ammonia per t of AN in total (stoichiometry 0.425 plus losses).
- Nitric acid About half the ammonia is burned over platinum-rhodium gauze to nitric acid; about 0.79 t HNO3 per t AN, emitting N2O unless abated.
- Neutralisation Nitric acid and ammonia react to give hot AN solution; the heat concentrates it to 95-99.5% melt.
- Prilling or granulation Melt is sprayed down prill towers (porous technical prills or dense fertiliser prills) or granulated; CAN adds ground dolomite or limestone to 27% N.
- Storage and transport under security rules Licensed storage and transport; Chambal's new Gadepan plant makes 240 kt a year of technical AN (2026).
- Field or blast hole Spread on fields in spring, or mixed with fuel oil or into emulsions at mine sites.
Made from (commodity table)
Gas Natural gasThree things to know
- Russia makes about 12 Mt of AN, 47% of the 25 Mt IndexBox records (2024); IndexBox omits much of China, so Russia's true share is lower.
- Nitrous oxide from the nitric acid step can add about 1.5 t CO2e per t of AN where it is not abated (IPCC defaults, derived).
- India needs about 1 Mt of AN a year and is adding 240 kt at Chambal (2026) and 377 kt at Smartchem Gopalpur to cut imports of 410 kt (2024).