Phosphoric acid: Feedstocks
Why owning rock and cheap sulphur wins the cost race
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.Acid is rock plus sulphuric acid, with steam for concentration. Rock grade and impurities set acid consumption and filtration speed, and sulphur sets the cost of acid. Producers who mine their own rock and have cheap sulphur, like OCP, Ma'aden and Mosaic, sit lowest on the cost curve. Indian and Chinese non-integrated plants buy both inputs and suffer most when sulphur spikes.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P Phosphate rock | about 3.3 t at 30-32% P2O5 per t P2O5 (indicative) | phosphorus source | about 20-30% of cash cost (indicative) | Phosphate tile; indicative |
| S Sulfur | about 0.9 t S (2.6-2.8 t H2SO4) per t P2O5 (indicative) | digestion acid | about 40-60% at 2026 sulphur prices (indicative) | Sulfur tile; indicative |
| Steam and power | about 2-4 t steam per t P2O5 for evaporation, often from the sulphur burner (indicative) | concentration | small where integrated | Indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
OCP, Ma'aden and Mosaic, with own rock and large sulphur burners, are lowest cost. JPMC and Tunisian producers have rock but buy sulphur. Indian plants that import rock, sulphur and ammonia are high cost and rely on the Nutrient Based Subsidy to sell DAP.
Raw materials on the commodity table
P Phosphate rockS SulfurWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| DAP DAP and MAP | about 60% of acid (indicative) |
| CAM Battery cathode materials | iron phosphate for LFP |
| Fd Food and feed additives | food phosphates and acidulant in cola drinks |
| WT Water treatment chemicals | phosphate scale and corrosion inhibitors |
| HF Hydrofluoric acid | fluorosilicic acid by-product is an alternative fluorine source |