Sulphuric acid demand is surging across the Democratic Republic of the Congo as global supply tightens amid conflict-linked disruptions.
Ivanhoe Mines says it now holds a near “captive audience” for the chemical, essential in copper extraction processes across the region.
Chief executive Marna Cloete said limited shipments from the Middle East have choked global supply lines, pushing prices sharply higher.
The squeeze follows escalating tensions linked to the Iran conflict, which has disrupted key export routes for sulphur-based products.
Ivanhoe began selling sulphuric acid this year from its Kamoa-Kakula Project, where the chemical is produced as a byproduct of copper smelting.
The acid is vital for leaching, a process that separates copper from ore, making it indispensable to mining firms across the copper belt.
Cloete said first-quarter output exceeded 100,000 tons, with supplies already flowing to major operators including Glencore and Eurasian Resources Group.
She added that annual production could rise to between 600,000 and 700,000 tons once the smelter reaches full capacity.
Local demand alone stands at roughly two million tons per year, ensuring a ready market for Ivanhoe’s expanding output.
Export restrictions on sulphur from neighbouring Zambia have further tightened supply, limiting domestic acid production in the DRC.
Ivanhoe said its smelter is currently operating at 60 percent capacity, with further increases constrained by limited concentrate feed.
Prices for high-strength sulphuric acid hovered near $500 per ton in the first quarter, with upward momentum building throughout the period.
