probably have some staurolite, which must be removed when separates are made of the titanium 

 minerals, zircon, and monazite. Offshore resources would probably be a significant fraction of the 

 estimated seven miUion tons of onshore resources, located mainly in Florida. 



SULPHUR 



Uses. The principal use of sulphur is in the production of sulphuric acid, an acid used so extensively 

 by modern industry that it is considered an index of a nation's economic activity. The largest sulphur 

 consuming industry in the United States is the fertilizer industry. Sulphur is also used in large quantities 

 by the chemical, paint and pigment, iron and steel, rayon and film, and petroleum industries. These 

 industries use sulphur in the acid form. The paper industry uses large quantities of sulphur for sulphite 

 pulp, and the insecticide and rubber industries use large amounts of elemental sulphur. 



Present levels of utilization of sulphur in millions of long tons. 



World (1966 production) 26. 13 



United States (1966 demand) 9.17 



Ranges of demand projections to the year 2000. 



Prospective supplies and prices. The overaU resource base of sulphur-bearing materials both in the 

 United States and worldwide is very large, but most sources (gypsum and anhydrite, pyrite in coal; oil 

 shales and tar sand) are not presently economic. On the other hand, resources suitable for Frasch-process 

 mining are quite limited and the supply responds slowly to price change. Also, production from sour gas, 

 which currently supplies less than 10 per cent of the U.S. production is controlled by the demand for 

 natural gas and by petroleum refinery capacity. Consequently, current sulphur production is insufficient 

 to meet demand, the price is rising rapidly, and some sulphur-producing firms have put their customers 

 on a quota of 65 per cent of their 1965 purchases. Looking some years to the future, an oversupply of 

 sulphur is possible owing to increased recovery from fuel gases and the possible recovery of sulphur from 

 effluent gases and solutions in pollution abatement operations. Domestic supphes may amount to 11.5 

 million tons per year by 1970 and foreign supplies to 24.0 million tons. 



Domestic prices have increased, but are still lower than those of the rest of the world. The increases 

 are not effective in stimulating enough new production to meet demand, and since some reHable sources 

 of sulphur may produce less in the future, a price increase above the current $38 per ton for dark 

 sulphur and $39 per ton for light sulphur is likely. Prices in the $42 to $45 per ton range are probable. In 

 some years, after demand is met, prices will probably decrease to near present levels. World prices will 

 remain higher than U.S. levels at least until supply and demand are balanced. 



Possible substitute materials. Substitutes for sulphur or sulphuric acid have been developed for only a 

 small part of total consumption; the ample supply and low cost of sulphur have restricted the use of 



VIM 54 



