Sulfuric acid shortage deepens as prices soar worldwide
Updated
Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 9
Sulfuric acid shortage deepens as prices soar worldwide
11 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 9
Indonesia's sulfur prices have jumped more than 80%, while sulfuric acid prices in Chile, the top copper producer, have more than doubled since fighting began.
The squeeze, driven by Persian Gulf disruption and China's export curbs, is slowing nickel and phosphate output and threatening fertilizer, food, copper, semiconductor and water-treatment supply chains.
The US is relatively insulated by North American supply, but higher global copper prices could still hit its economy, while producers such as Ivanhoe Mines are profiting from surging acid sales.
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Global Sulfuric Acid Shortage 2026: Industrial Disruption, Food Inflation, and the Race for Supply Chain Resilience
Overview
In early to mid-2026, the world faces a severe sulfuric acid shortage, causing prices to surge and putting intense pressure on industrial supply chains. This crisis is hitting copper production hard, especially in major producers like Chile and African countries, as their sulfuric acid costs soar and wet-process capacity is squeezed, leading to higher global copper prices. At the same time, agriculture is suffering because sulfuric acid is essential for making phosphate fertilizers. As production costs rise, these are passed on to food prices, worsening global food inflation and affecting consumers everywhere.