Abstract
Asian salt production increased rapidly since 2003
Rapid industrialisation in China has instigated a period of growth in the salt industry that has not been seen for many years, with world production reaching 256Mt in 2006. Since 2003, global output has risen at an average rate of nearly 5.2%py, while Asian output has risen by over 12.3%py. However, the rise in Asian output has not been sufficient to satisfy all the regional demand and the shortfall has largely been satisfied by Australian production, which rose at an average rate over 5.5%py from 2000 to 2006. The principal driver behind increased production has been growing demand from the Chinese chemical industry and, to a lesser extent, from population growth. Over the coming five years, global demand is expected to grow at an average of 3%py to reach over 300Mt in 2012. There are four main end uses for salt; chlorine and caustic soda manufacture in chlor-alkali industry (38.5%), manufacture of synthetic soda ash (20%), edible salt for human consumption (17.5%) and de-icing salt (14%). End-use patterns vary from a predominance of chemical applications in highly industrialised countries to a market dominated by the use of salt in food and agriculture in less developed countries.
The key trends, issues and developments in the market are analysed in this major new report from Roskill. It provides a clear insight into the industry and its trends, and an authoritative analysis of the prospects for the future.
What the report gives you
- Independent, in-depth research and analysis
- Essential market intelligence for successful business planning
- Detailed survey of production and processing in 113 countries
- Up-to-date profiles of the activities of over 200 salt producing companies and potential projects, including including Dampier Salt Ltd, K S, China National Salt Industry, Cargill and Solvay
- Forecasts for end-use consumption and world supply and demand
Report highlights
In common with many other parts of the chemical mineral sector, rationalisation and restructuring of the salt industry has continued. If the Chinese industry is considered as one enterprise, nine companies now control around a third of global production capacity. The company with most production capacity is China National Salt Industry with an estimated 18.7Mtpy, followed by K S (16.6Mtpy), Cargill (14.0Mtpy) and Compass Minerals (13.7Mtpy).
The chlor-alkali industry co-produces chlorine and caustic soda by electrolysing a salt solution. Although chlorine has a number of end uses, the most important is as a raw material in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a polymer with significant applications in construction. During the period 2000 to 2006, chlorine capacity in China increased by around 7Mtpy while elsewhere it fell by around 1Mtpy. By 2012, a further 9Mtpy is forecast to come on-stream worldwide, most of this increase (8.1Mtpy) is expected to be installed in China.
Consumption of dietary salt is likely to grow in line with world and regional populations. The largest increases are expected in Asia and Africa, where largest growth in food consumption is projected. Total consumption of salt in food is forecast to rise to 48Mtpy by 2012.
Soda ash is produced either from mined minerals, primarily trona, or by chemical synthesis using the ammonia-soda process which uses salt as one of its raw materials. Synthesis remains economically viable where the markets are close to the production sites, and to locally available sources of salt and limestone. The situation in China differs in that there is significant co-product process capacity with ammonium chloride finding application as a nitrogenous fertiliser. This, and the drive for self-sufficiency in an essential raw material has led to substantial expansion of China' s synthetic soda ash production. Global salt use for soda ash production in 2006 is estimated at just over 50Mt.
Table of Contents
1 Summary
2 Occurrence and properties of salt
Occurrence and reserves of salt: Brine salt; Rock salt; Salt domes: Other sources of salt;Methods of salt recovery: Shaft mining of rock salt; Solution mining of salt; Solar evaporation of salt; Grades of salt;
3 World salt production capacity by company
Salt production capacity by company in: Europe; North America; Central America; South America; Africa; Middle East; Asia; Oceania;Corporate activity in the salt industry;
4 World production of salt
World production of salt by region;Production of salt in: Europe; North America; Central America; South America; Africa; Middle East; Asia; Oceania;
5 Review of global salt industry
Details of salt producers, processors, production, reserves, consumption, imports, exports and projects in each of the following countries, where applicable:
Afghanistan; Algeria; Angola; Argentina; Australia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahamas; Bangladesh; Belarus; Belgium; Bolivia; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Botswana; Brazil; Bulgaria; Burma (Myanmar); Cambodia; Canada; Cape Verde Islands; Chad; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Croatia; Cuba; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominican Republic; Egypt; El Salvador; Eritrea; Ethiopia; France; Gabon; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Guatemala; Honduras; India; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; North Korea; South Korea; Kuwait; Laos; Lebanon; Lesser Antilles; Libya; Madagascar; Mali; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mexico; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Netherlands; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Niger; Nigeria; Oman; Pakistan; Panama; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russia; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Switzerland; Syria; Tadjikistan; Taiwan; Tanzania; Thailand; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; UK; USA; Uzbekistan; Venezuela; Vietnam; Yemen;
Profiles of over 200 salt producing and processing companies, including:
Cheetham Salt Limited; Dampier Salt Limited; Mitsui & Company Limited (Onslow Salt and Shark Bay Resources); Solvay SA; China National Salt Industry Corporation; Groupe Salins; K+S Aktiengesellschaft; Hellenic Saltworks SA; Hindustan Salt Limited; Tata Chemicals Limited; Exportadora de Sal SA; Akzo Nobel Salt BV; Dominion Salt Limited; Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation; Donald Brown (Royal Salt, Salpura and Saltcor); Ercros Group; Compass Minerals (Salt Union); Cargill Salt; Rohm and Haas (Morton Salt); And many more…
6 World consumption of salt
World consumption of salt by end use; Outlook for world salt consumption;
7 Use of salt in chlor-alkali production
Methods of chlor-alkali production: Mercury cell process; Diaphragm cell process; Ion-exchange membrane cell; Other methods of chlorine production;Global distribution of chlor-alkali plants;
Chlor-alkali production and capacity: Chlorine capacity and production in: China; Europe; Japan; USA;
Consumption of salt in chlor-alkali production; Consumption and end uses of chlorine: Use of chlorine in: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC); Pulp and paper; Organic chemicals: Isocyanates and oxygenates; Chloromethanes; Epichlorohydrin; Chlorinated solvents; Water treatment; Manufacture of titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment; Pharmaceuticals; Outlook for chlorine; Production and consumption of caustic soda: End uses for caustic soda: End uses of caustic soda in: Europe; Japan; USA; Outlook for caustic soda;
Outlook for the chlor-alkali industry;
8 Use of salt in synthetic soda ash manufacture
Manufacturing processes for synthetic soda ash; World soda ash capacity; World production of soda ash;End uses of soda ash: Use of soda ash in: Glass; Chemicals; Sodium silicate production; Sodium bicarbonate production; Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) production; Other uses for soda ash;
Consumption of salt in the production of synthetic soda ash;
9 Other chemical applications of salt
Use of salt in: Metallic sodium manufacture; Hydrochloric acid (HCl) production; Sodium chlorate and perchlorate production; Other chemical applications for salt;
10 Use of salt in road de-icing
Environmental impact of salt on roads; Alternative de-icing agents to salt: Calcium chloride (CaCl2); Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA); Magnesium chloride; Other de-icing agents; Consumption of salt in de-icing;
11 Salt for human consumption
Types of salt used; Consumption of salt in food and food processing; Health concerns over human consumption of salt: High blood pressure;
12 Other applications of salt
Use of salt in animal feed; Use of salt in water treatment; Use of salt in drilling fluids; Use of salt in leather treatment; Minor end uses of salt;
13 International trade in salt
Patterns in world salt trade; Exports of salt; Imports of salt; Salt trade in North America; Salt trade in Europe; Salt trade in the Asia-Pacific region;
14 Salt prices
Average values of salt in world trade;
LIST OF TABLES
There are 324 tables and 29 figures in The Economics of Salt, 12th edition 2007. Some sample tables are listed below:
- World: Estimated production capacities of leading salt companies
- World: Salt production by region
- Australia: Estimated salt production capacity by company
- Cheetham Salt: Details of salt operations
- Solvay: Estimated salt production capacity by plant
- Canada: Exports of salt by country
- Canada: Estimated consumption of salt in chlorine production
- China National Salt Group: Subsidiary companies
- China: Estimated demand for salt from soda ash and chlor-alkali capacity
- K+S: Salt revenues by product group
- Germany: Apparent consumption of salt
- Tata Chemicals: Production, captive use and sales of salt and soda ash
- Italy: Salt production capacity by company
- Japan: Forecast demand for salt
- Akzo Nobel: Salt production capacity by plant
- Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation: Details of main salt mines
- Poland: Production of salt by type
- Russia: Production of salt
- South Africa: Production and local sales of salt
- Spain: Apparent consumption of salt
- Ukraine: Exports of salt by country
- UK: Salt production capacity by company
- USA: Salt sold or used by producers by state
- Cargill Salt: Estimated salt production capacity by plant and type
- USA: Consumption of salt by main end uses
- China: Production of caustic soda and implied output of chlorine and consumption of salt
- China, Europe, USA and Japan: Estimated consumption of salt in chlor-alkali
- World: Forecast regional use of PVC by application
- Regional production of paper and paperboard by grade
- USA: Historic and forecast demand for chlorinated solvents
- World: Soda ash production capacity by main company
- World: Estimated consumption of salt in soda ashmanufacture
- World: Estimated population and consumption of salt in food by region, 2025
- USA: Consumption of salt by the oil industry
- Western Europe: Regional salt exports by main country of origin
- Asia Pacific: Regional salt imports by main country of origin
- UK: Published prices of ground rock salt
- USA: Salt prices in US$/t equivalents
- Average value of salt imports of major world importers
