Sulphuric acid: Movement
Why Japanese smelters ship acid to Chilean copper mines
What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 280700
World exports $1.28 bn 80 reporting exporters · about 15.8 m t Largest exporter Canada 17.5% of world exports Largest importer Chile 18.1% of world imports India imports $145.8 mexports $36.2 m #4 importer · #12 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 280700: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 280700: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 17.5% | $222.8 m | 1.75 m |
| Peru | 9.2% | $117.5 m | 1.15 m |
| Germany | 8.7% | $110.6 m | 1.08 m |
| China | 7.2% | $91.7 m | 2.68 m |
| Bulgaria | 5.5% | $70.8 m | 1.13 m |
| Japan | 4.8% | $61.7 m | 3.44 m |
| Belgium | 4.7% | $59.7 m | 583k |
| Zambia | 4.6% | $58.2 m | 479k |
HS 280700: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 18.1% | $492.2 m | 3.61 m |
| Morocco | 17.4% | $471.6 m | 4.06 m |
| United States | 15.7% | $425.7 m | 3.48 m |
| India | 5.4% | $145.8 m | 1.79 m |
| DR Congo | 3.3% | $88.5 m | 531k |
| Kazakhstan | 3.2% | $85.6 m | 592k |
| Türkiye | 3% | $82.5 m | 882k |
| Brazil | 2.9% | $78.4 m | 556k |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | about 9% of world output (about 20 Mt exported of about 230 Mt, 2024; IndexBox exports and derived output) | ||
| How it moves | Liquid acid at 93-98.5% moves by pipeline, rail tank car, barge and dedicated stainless or coated chemical tankers. It weighs three times as much as the sulphur it contains, so most acid is made where it is used from shipped sulphur; only smelter acid, which cannot be avoided, is shipped long distances. | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | NE Asia (Japan, Korea, China) to Chile, Indonesia, India and the Philippines; Peru and Europe to Chile; Canada to the US by rail; Europe to Morocco and Brazil. Panama Canal and Strait of Magellan routings matter for Asia-Chile trade, and Hormuz for the sulphur that feeds Gulf and Indian burners. | ||
| India | India imported 1.79 Mt of acid worth $146 million in 2024, about 8% of reported world import volume and 5.4% by value, the fourth-largest importer (UN Comtrade), mainly smelter acid from Japan, Korea and the Gulf (indicative), and is a large importer of sulphur for its burners. CRU expects lower Indian acid imports in 2026 as domestic smelter supply grows. | ||
| Handling in transit | UN1830 sulphuric acid (more than 51%), class 8, packing group II; oleum UN1831 (class 8, subsidiary 6.1). Reacts violently with water and corrodes most metals except carbon steel at high strength; tankers need coated or stainless tanks. |