# Hydrochloric acid

Hydrochloric acid is a cheap, mostly by-product acid from chlorine chemistry, used for steel pickling, oil wells, water treatment and mineral processing.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/hydrochloric_acid/

Commodity chemicals · Acids & alkalis · No. 3

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Minerals and salts
- not published; most HCl is captive or recycled within chlorine chains
- 0.9 t CO₂e per t
- HS 280610
 Commodity chemicals · Acids & alkalis · Foundation · Matter

In August 2026 a tonne of hydrochloric acid cost about $27 in China but six times as much in America.

Chart: Illustration: Hydrochloric acid

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Most HCl appears as a by-product whenever chlorine is used but not built into a product; chlor-alkali plants also burn spare chlorine in hydrogen, about 0.97 t per tonne of acid.

##### Three things to know

1. Most hydrochloric acid is a by-product, so its supply follows chlorine and isocyanate plants rather than what acid buyers want.
2. Acid is too cheap to ship far: prices ranged from about $27/t in China to $162/t in the US in August 2026.
3. When more than 5 Mt of Chinese chlor-alkali capacity went into maintenance in mid-2026, Chinese acid prices rose about 33%.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Chlorine chemistry**Isocyanates and chlorinations release HCl
2. 2 **Direct synthesis**Surplus chlorine burnt in hydrogen
3. 3 **Absorption**Gas dissolved in water to 30-36%
4. 4 **Local delivery**Rubber-lined tankers within a few hundred km
5. 5 **End use**Steel pickling, oil wells, water treatment
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## Other sections

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