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Sulfur: Its Importance and Use in Industry and Agriculture

Presented By

Peter Clark - Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd

Conference:

Elemental sulfur is made from H2S using the modified Claus process. Current production is ca. 60 million t/a split almost evenly between oil refining and sour natural gas processing. At present, consumption, mostly in fertilizer production, along with manufacture of other commodities such as titanium dioxide, consumes all 60 million tons.

This paper will review the uses of sulfur in industry and agriculture and also examine the key linkage between oil and gas production and agriculture demonstrating that alternative energy supply such as wind, solar and nuclear fission would compromise World food supply. An important component of this analysis is that sulfur is a limiting commodity in agriculture and, most probably, is not available by other means without increasing CO2 emissions.

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