Sulfur: Stocks
Endless sulfur in gypsum, but none of it cheap
What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply
| Country | Reserves Mt S (not quantified by USGS) | Current output kt S, all forms (2025e) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | – | 19,000 | – | n/a |
| United States | – | 8,100 | – | n/a |
| Russia | – | 7,500 | – | n/a |
| Saudi Arabia | – | 7,200 | – | n/a |
| United Arab Emirates | – | 6,300 | – | n/a |
Recycling
USGS does not quantify reserves: sulfur in oil, gas and sulfide ores is large, resources total about 5 billion t, and 600 billion t sits in coal and oil shale. Sulfur is consumed, not recycled. In the US, 2.5-5 Mt of spent sulfuric acid is reclaimed each year from refining and chemicals (USGS 2026). The EU end-of-life recycling input rate is 0% (EU CRM 2023). India produced 3.7 Mt in 2025 (USGS).
USGS does not quantify reserves, saying sulfur in oil, gas and sulfide ores is large and supply should be adequate. Resources in deposits and in gas, oil, tar sands and metal sulfides total about 5 billion t. Gypsum holds an almost limitless amount, and coal and oil shale contain about 600 billion t, though low-cost extraction is lacking. Sulfur is consumed, not recycled, but 2.5 to 5 Mt of spent sulfuric acid is reclaimed each year in the United States. Stockpiles build at oil-sands and gas sites when prices are low. US producer stocks were only 116,000 t at end-2025.
Recycling
End-of-life recycling input rate in the EU: 0% of demand met from post-consumer scrap (EU CRM study 2023).Typically 2.5 to 5 million tons of spent sulfuric acid is reclaimed each year from petroleum refining and chemical processes.