Hydrochloric acid: Feedstocks
Why acid's real cost is the disposal bill avoided
Why acid's real cost is the disposal bill avoided 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.HCl's feedstock is chlorine, either directly with hydrogen or indirectly through chlorination. So salt and electricity sit behind it. Because most HCl is a by-product, its cost is often the disposal cost a producer avoids, and the cheapest acid is wherever chlorine chemistry is largest and acid demand is smallest.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NaCl Salt | about 1.6-1.7 t salt per t of 100% HCl via direct synthesis | chlorine source | small | stoichiometry (indicative) |
| Chlorine | 0.97 t per t HCl (direct synthesis) | reactant | dominant in direct synthesis | stoichiometry |
| Hydrogen (chlor-alkali co-product) | 0.028 t per t HCl | reactant | small | stoichiometry |
| Water | about 2 t per t of 33% acid | absorption | negligible | stoichiometry |
Who is low-cost, and why
China has the cheapest acid (about $27/t FOB in August 2026) because chlor-alkali output far exceeds acid demand; US prices are highest because shale drilling absorbs supply.
Raw materials on the commodity table
NaCl SaltWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| VCM Vinyl chloride monomer | HCl recycled into oxychlorination |
| WT Water treatment chemicals | PAC and ferric chloride |
| OFC Oilfield and mining chemicals | well acidising |
| TiO2 Titanium dioxide | ilmenite upgrading to synthetic rutile |