The two bromine companies in the United States accounted for abo

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/bromine/mcs-2009-bromi.pdf

36
BROMINE
(Data in metric tons of bromine content unless otherwise noted)
Domestic Production and Use: Bromine was recovered from underground brines by two companies in Arkansas. Bromine was the leading mineral commodity, in terms of value, produced in Arkansas. The two bromine companies in the United States accounted for about one-third of world production.
Primary uses of bromine compounds are in flame retardants, drilling fluids, brominated pesticides (mostly methyl bromide), and water treatment. Bromine is also used in the manufacture of dyes, insect repellents, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, and photographic chemicals. Other products containing bromine included intermediate chemicals for the manufacture of chemical products and bromide solutions used alone or in combination with other chemicals.
Salient Statistics—United States: 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008e
Production1 222,000 226,000 243,000 W W
Imports for consumption, elemental
bromine and compounds2 62,000 60,000 44,000 30,000 38,000
Exports, elemental bromine and compounds 9,000 10,000 12,000 11,000 11,000
Consumption, apparent3 274,000 277,000 275,000 W W
Price, cents per kilogram, bulk, purified bromine 86.0 74.0 139.2 NA NA
Employment, number 1,500 1,200 1,100 1,000 1,000
Net import reliance4 as a percentage
of apparent consumption 19 18 12 Recycling: Some bromide solutions were recycled to obtain elemental bromine and to prevent the solutions from being disposed of as hazardous waste. Hydrogen bromide is emitted as a byproduct in many organic reactions. This byproduct waste is recycled with virgin bromine brines and is a major source of bromine production. Plastics containing bromine flame retardants can be incinerated as solid organic waste, and the bromine can be recovered. This recycled bromine is not included in the virgin bromine production reported by the companies, but is included in data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Import Sources (2004-07): Israel, 93%; China, 4%; and other, 3%.
Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade Relations
12-31-08
Bromine 2801.30.2000 5.5% ad val.
Hydrobromic acid 2811.19.3000 Free.
Potassium or sodium bromide 2827.51.0000 Free.
Ammonium, calcium, or zinc bromide 2827.59.2500 Free.
Other bromides and bromide oxides 2827.59.5100 3.6% ad val.
Potassium bromate 2829.90.0500 Free.
Sodium bromate 2829.90.2500 Free.
Ethylene dibromide 2903.31.0000 5.4% ad val.
Methyl bromide 2903.39.1520 Free.
Bromochloromethane 2903.49.1000 Free.
Tetrabromobisphenol A 2908.19.2500 5.5% ad val.
Decabromodiphenyl and
octabromodiphenyl oxide 2909.30.0700 5.5% ad val.
Depletion Allowance: Brine wells, 5% (Domestic and foreign).
Government Stockpile: None.
Events, Trends, and Issues: Although still the leading bromine producer in the world, the U.S. dominance has decreased as other countries, such as China, Israel, Japan, and Jordan, have strengthened their positions as world producers of elemental bromine.
Prepared by Lori E. Apodaca [[phone], [e-mail], fax: [phone]]
37
BROMINE
Albemarle Corp., Baton Rouge, LA, acquired Sorbent Technologies Corp., Twin*****urg, OH, for $22.5 million in cash. The acquisition will broaden Albermarle’s bromine-based solutions for removing mercury emissions from coal-fired powerplants.5 Gulf Resources Inc., Shandong, China, acquired its fifth bromine production facility in China, increasing the company’s annual bromine production capacity to about 4,700 tons.6
The largest use of bromine is in flame retardants; however, bromine use in flame retardants is of concern because of persistence of some bromine compounds in the environment and their potential health effects. The European Court of Justice ruled that Deca-BDE (decabromodiphenyl ether), a flame retardant, can no longer be used in electronics and electrical applications. The European Union approved the use of tetrabromobisphenol-A, a flame retardant used in more than 70% of the world’s electrical and electronic appliances.
Bromine and bromine compound prices increased in 2008, reflecting the expanding markets of bromine and major increases in the costs of energy, raw materials, regulatory compliance, and transportation.
World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base:
Mine production Reserves7 Reserve base7
2007 2008e
United States1 W W 11,000,000 11,000,000
Azerbaijan 2,000 2,000 300,000 300,000
China 130,000 135,000 130,000 3,500,000
Germany 1,600 1,600 (8) (8)
India 1,500 1,500 (9) (9)
Israel 159,000 165,000 (10) (10)
Japan 20,000 20,000 (11) (11)
Jordan 69,000 70,000 (10) (10)
Spain (12) (12) 1,400,000 1,400,000
Turkmenistan (12) (12) 700,000 700,000
Ukraine 3,000 3,000 400,000 400,000
World total (rounded) 13387,000 13398,000 Large Large
World Resources: Bromine is found principally in seawater, evaporitic (salt) lakes, and underground brines associated with petroleum deposits. In the Middle East, the Dead Sea is estimated to contain 1 billion tons of bromine. Seawater contains about 65 parts per million of bromine, or an estimated 100 trillion tons. Bromine is also recovered from seawater as a coproduct during evaporation to produce salt.
Substitutes: Chlorine and iodine may be substituted for bromine in a few chemical reactions and for sanitation purposes. There are no comparable substitutes for bromine in various oil and gas well completion and packer applications that do not harm the permeability of the production zone and that control well “blowouts.” Because plastics have a low ignition temperature, alumina, magnesium hydroxide, organic chlorine compounds, and phosphorus compounds can be substituted for bromine as fire retardants in some uses. Bromine compounds and bromine acting as a synergist with other materials are used as fire retardants in plastics, such as those found in electronics.
eEstimated. NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.
1Sold or used by U.S. producers.
2Imports calculated from items shown in Tariff section.
3Includes recycled product.
4Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes.
5Albemarle Corp., 2008, Albemarle Corporation acquires Sorbent Technologies: Albemarle Corp. press release, October 10, 1 p.
6Gulf Resources, Inc., 2008, Gulf Resources, Inc. announces first quarter 2008 financial results: Gulf Resources Inc. press release, May 8, 1 p.
7See Appendix C for definitions.
8From waste bitterns associated with potash production.
9From waste bitterns associated with solar salt.
10From the Dead Sea.
11From seawater.
12Less than ½ unit.
13Excludes U.S. production.
U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2009