Sulfuric Acid: Understanding its Importance and the Current Disruptions in this Critical Chemical

While the war in Iran has put a spotlight on oil prices and the risk of a global energy shock, a number of critical chemical inputs are also under threat. One of the most important — and least talked about — is sulfuric acid. As the West races to scale up mining projects, reliable access to inputs like sulfuric acid is essential.

So what happens if that supply is disrupted or cut off entirely? Consider that 70% of sulfuric acid is produced from elemental sulfur, and 80% of that elemental sulfur is a byproduct of oil and gas production — meaning a single geopolitical shock could ripple across multiple industries simultaneously. Are there viable substitutes? How do other industries that depend on sulfuric acid respond to a supply crunch? And does limited supply simply go to the highest bidder?

Here to address these questions and more is Sangita Kannan, a PhD candidate at the Colorado School of Mines. Sangita is a chemical engineer turned mineral economist whose research sits at the intersection of mineral economics, public policy, and the technical fields surrounding the manufacture of critical materials.