Argon: Feedstocks
Why argon's real input is someone else's oxygen demand
Why argon's real input is someone else's oxygen demand 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.Air is the only feedstock. The binding input is oxygen demand: argon is produced only when large ASUs run. Power is allocated across products, so argon's cost is an accounting choice and its price is set by scarcity.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | about 78 t of air per t of argon (basis: 1.29% argon by mass) | argon source | zero | air composition |
| Electricity | allocated share of ASU power (indicative 0.3-0.6 MWh per t liquid) | separation and liquefaction | most of cash cost (indicative) | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Not cost-driven: suppliers with large argon-equipped ASUs near steel and solar clusters (China, US Gulf Coast) are long; regions with idled ASUs are short. Bulk export argon from China was $675-695/t FOB in mid-2026 (Procurement Resource).
What it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| pSi Polysilicon | argon atmosphere for crystal pulling |
| ESG Electronic specialty gases | argon is a bulk fab gas |