# Nitric acid: Overview

Fertiliser, quarry blasts and nylon from one acid

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/overview/

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.

Nitric acid (HNO3) is made by burning ammonia over platinum-rhodium gauze (the Ostwald process) and absorbing the nitrogen oxides in water. About 65.5 Mt is made each year in some 500 plants, almost all next to ammonia plants. Most becomes ammonium nitrate for fertiliser and mining explosives; the rest goes to nylon, polyurethane and specialty nitrations. It matters for climate because each tonne can release 5-9 kg of nitrous oxide, about 1.4-2.5 t CO2e, which catalysts can remove for $1-5 per tonne of CO2e.
 Volume about 65.5 Mt HNO3 a year (100% basis) Market value about $20-30 billion (indicative, basis: 65.5 Mt x $300-450/t, a cost-plus range for weak acid at 2024-25 ammonia prices) Growth led by fertiliser nitrates and NPK, with Asia the main growth region (CRU, 2025); about 1-2% a year (indicative) Clariant via Agro-Chemistry (2022); CRU BCInsight (Sep 2025)

#### Key uses

| Use | Share | Annual volume | Why this commodity | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Ammonium nitrate and calcium ammonium nitrate fertilisers** | 60% | about 39 Mtbasis | Nitrate nitrogen acts fast and loses less to volatilisation than urea, so European, Russian and Brazilian farmers pay a premium for AN and CAN. Nitric acid is the only practical way to make the nitrate half of the molecule. CRU BCInsight (2025: fertiliser is the main driver); share indicative | Urea and UAN Ammonium sulphate |
| **Technical ammonium nitrate for mining and quarrying explosives (ANFO, emulsions)** | 15% | about 10 Mtbasis | AN mixed with fuel oil is the cheapest bulk explosive for open-pit mines. Demand follows coal, iron ore, copper and gold mining, so Australia, Chile, Indonesia and India are big markets. Indicative | None at similar cost for bulk blasting |
| **Nitrobenzene and aniline for MDI (polyurethanes)** | 8% | about 5.2 Mtbasis | Benzene is nitrated with mixed nitric and sulphuric acid to nitrobenzene, hydrogenated to aniline and turned into MDI for insulation foams. Large MDI makers run captive nitric acid plants. Indicative | None commercial for aniline |
| **Adipic acid (nylon 6,6)** | 6% | about 3.9 Mtbasis | Nitric acid oxidises cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone to adipic acid. The step releases about 0.3 t of N2O per t adipic acid if unabated, so adipic plants were among the first targets for N2O controls. Indicative | Bio-based adipic acid (pilot) Nylon 6 from caprolactam |
| **Dinitrotoluene for TDI and other nitrations (nitrocellulose, nitroaromatics, military explosives)** | 4% | about 2.6 Mtbasis | Strong nitric acid is the standard nitrating agent; concentrated grades above 98% are needed for some explosives and propellants. Indicative | Few |
| **Nitrophosphate fertiliser, potassium and calcium nitrates, metal treatment and etching** | 7% | about 4.6 Mtbasis | The Odda nitrophosphate route digests phosphate rock with nitric acid instead of sulphuric acid and avoids phosphogypsum. Nitric acid also pickles stainless steel and etches silicon and metals. Indicative | Sulphuric acid route for phosphates |

 No free world end-use split was found; CRU (2025) states fertiliser nitrates and NPK dominate, with chemicals, metallurgy and explosives adding growth. Shares are indicative and volumes are share x 65.5 Mt (Clariant 2022).

#### From raw material to user

1. **Ammonia supply** About 0.28-0.29 t of ammonia per t of 100% HNO3 (stoichiometric 0.27, with about 94-96% yield; indicative), almost always from an adjacent ammonia plant.
2. **Ammonia oxidation** Ammonia and air pass over platinum-rhodium gauze at about 850-950 C, forming nitric oxide and, as a side reaction, N2O.
3. **Absorption** NO is oxidised to NO2 and absorbed in water in towers at 4-14 atm, giving 55-68% weak acid (KBR pressure classes).
4. **Tail gas treatment and energy recovery** Tail gas at up to about 650 C drives an expander; tertiary catalysts remove 95-98% of N2O where installed (KBR).
5. **Concentration (optional)** Extractive distillation with sulphuric acid or magnesium nitrate gives 98-99% acid for nitrations.
6. **Neutralisation** Most weak acid is reacted with ammonia on site to ammonium nitrate, then prilled or granulated.

#### Made from (commodity table)
[N Nitrogen (ammonia)](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/nitrogen/)[Gas Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/natural_gas/)

#### Three things to know

- About 65.5 Mt a year is made in roughly 500 plants, and about half still have no N2O removal (Clariant, 2022).
- Unabated plants emit about 5-9 kg N2O per t of acid, about 1.4-2.5 t CO2e at a GWP of 273 (IPCC defaults via KBR; Heraeus).
- Abatement removes up to 95-98% of N2O at about $1-5 per t CO2e, one of the cheapest industrial cuts available (NACAG; KBR).

#### Read the tabs
[Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/routes/)[Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/production/)[Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/feedstocks/)[Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/cycles/)[Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/trading/)[Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/movement/)[Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/regulation/)[Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/characteristics/)[Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitric_acid/emissions/)

## Other sections

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