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The year ahead: resilient but not immune

Summary

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, we look ahead at fertilizer industry prospects for the next 12 months, including the key economic and agricultural drivers likely to shape the market during 2021.

Abstract

Economic backdrop The exceptional contraction in economic activity triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 looks like being far worse than the Great Recession of 2009. The world economy is currently projected to shrink by 4.4 percent in 2020, according to the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast. Although worldwide growth is expected to rebound sharply this year, rising by 5.2 percent overall in 2021, the extent and speed of this recovery, for individual countries and from region-to-region, remains unpredictable. Keywords: 2021; Market; Outlook; Global; World; Covid-19; Fertilizer; Fertilizers; Nutrients; Demand; Growth; Drivers; Trade; Supply; Capacity; Sales; Economics; Agricultural; Agriculture; Farming; Food; Commodities; Oil; Crops; Prices; International Monetary Fund; IMF; Rabobank; FAO; International Fertilizer Association; IFA; Cereals; Oilseeds; Coffee; Wheat; Sugar; Palm oil; Soybeans; Crops; Prices; Affordability; Ammonia; Urea; Potash; Phosphate

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Dust and moisture control agents

Summary

The quality of finished fertilizers can be maintained during transport, handling and storage by protecting the surfaces of granules and prills with coating agents. We survey the range of anti-caking, water repellent and anti-dusting additives currently on the market.

Abstract

Preventing degradation, preserving value Granular fertilizers can be protected through the addition of anti-caking and dust control agents (Fertilizer International 492, p28; Fertilizer International 477, p28; Fertilizer International 464, p32; Fertilizer International 453, p26). These agents are usually applied as surface coatings and help prevent dust formation and caking by reducing water absorption under humid conditions. Keywords: Fertilizer; Coatings; Coating; Additives; Quality; Losses; Degradation; Urea; NPKs; Anti-caking; Anti-dusting; Water; Moisture; Repellent; Caking; Dusting; NAQ Global; ArrMaz; Arkema; Novochem; Chemipol; Forbon; Neelam Aqua; Kao

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Is your fertilizer coating sustainable?

Summary

Fertilizer coatings play an integral role in minimising the degradation of fertilizers during transport, handling and storage. Increasingly, customers also want to know if the coatings they buy are sustainable too. But what exactly is a sustainable fertilizer coating – and how can its sustainability be properly defined and measured? Lucas Moore, director of coatings technology at Arkema-ArrMaz, weighs up these thorny questions and provides some clear-cut answers.

Abstract

With the world’s growing population raising demand for food, the fertilizer industry is finding new ways to utilise our limited natural resources responsibly and sustainably. To meet industry needs, many fertilizer coatings manufacturers have developed new and innovative products that are marketed as sustainable. But how can you be sure that a fertilizer coating is truly sustainable and isn’t just green-washed? Keywords: Fertilizer; Coatings; Arkema; ArrMaz; Sustainable; Sustainability; Product; Stewardship; Resources; Waste; Prevention; Biorenewable; Biorenewability; Biodegradable; Biodegradability; Bioaccumulate; Natural; Tests; Methods; OECD; ASTM

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Tailor-made additives: keeping fertilizers in shape

Summary

The degradation of fertilizer granules during handling and storage can be economically-costly and therefore needs to be avoided. Preventing unwanted caking and dust formation requires tailor-made coatings, as Kim ten Wolde, product manager at Holland Novochem, explains.

Abstract

Holland Novochem B.V. has been helping the fertilizer industry to maintain the quality of fertilizer granules and keep these in good shape since its establishment in 1992. The company, working in collaboration with its customers, manufactures tailor-made additives specifically designed for fertilizer granules and the granulation process. Fertilizer; Coatings; Granules; Granulation; Additives; Dust; Formation; Caking; Novochem; Moisture; Water; Repellent; Absorption; Hygroscopic; Critical relative humidity; CRH; Moisture; Dissolution; Recrystallization; Recrystallisation; Protection; Anti-caking; Anti-dusting; Products; Bio-based; Biodegradable; Microplastics; EU; Regulations; Ban

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Innovations in phosphate production

Summary

Prayon's Hadrien Leruth and Marc Sonveaux highlight the latest phosphate production developments at the company – and share their experience of how innovative ideas are validated, industrialised and turned into commercially-viable technologies.

Abstract

Prayon rhymes with innovation Prayon is renowned for its commitment to research and development. The Belgium-headquartered company constantly invests in innovation to maintain its status as a global leader in technical- and food-grade phosphate production and phosphoric acid technologies. Keywords: Production; Technology; Technologies; Innovation; R&D; Phosphates; Process; Processes; Prayon; Belgium; Phosphate rock; Low grade; Secondary; Recovery; Recycling; Engis; Technophos; Bulgaria; Poland; Grupa Azoty; EcoPhos; GetMoreP; Chemical; Beneficiation; PUMA; Membrane; Purification; Nanofiltration; Ion exchange; Sewage sludge; Fly ash; Phosphoric acid; Dicalcium phosphate; DCP; Dihydrate attack; Hemihydrate filtration; DA-HF; CPP; Central Prayon Process

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Advances in phosphate flotation

Summary

Newly-developed froth flotation equipment and reagents are improving selectivity and the grade and recovery of phosphate concentrates.

Abstract

Mined phosphate rock generally needs to be processed and upgraded to meet the downstream requirements of phosphoric acid production and fertilizer manufacture. The industry requires apatite-rich rock concentrates with a high P2O5 content and low levels of gangue minerals (silicates, carbonates and clays). Keywords: Mineral processing; Innovation; Innovative; New; R&D; Beneficiation; Phosphate; Rock; Apatite; Silica; Carbonate; Igneous; Sedimentary; Brazil; Performance; Concentrates; Froth flotation; Cells; Machines; Mechanical; Pneumatic; Column; Technology; Grade; Recovery; Selectivity; Equipment; Reagents; Collectors; Modifiers; Depressants; FLSmidth; Eriez; TAKRAF; DELKOR; Clariant; Arkema; ArrMaz; Nalco; Allmineral; BASF; Allflot; BQR; MAXGen; REFLUX; mixedROW; Wemco; nextSTEP

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Gemini surfactants: novel phosphate flotation collectors

Summary

Nouryon is introducing a new anionic 'gemini' collector for phosphate flotation under the product name Phospholan G10. These novel dimeric reagents offer distinct performance advantages over conventional fatty acid collectors.

Abstract

Nouryon is a global manufacturer of flotation collectors for phosphate ores. These reagents are designed for the direct flotation of apatite or the reverse flotation of silica and carbonate (Table 1). Keywords: Mineral processing; Beneficiation; Apatite; Silica; Froth flotation; Reagents; Surfactants; Novel; Enhancers; Hydrophobicity; Collectors; Fatty acids; Gemini; Anionic; Dimers; Pyrophosphate esters; Nouryon; Phospholan G10; Performance; Consumption; Diesel; Grade; Recovery; Dosage

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Potash players endure tumultuous 2020

Summary

Despite the unprecedented economic woes inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the global MOP industry still managed to endure in 2020, says Andy Hemphill, senior editor for potash at ICIS Fertilizers, thanks to its 'essential' status.

Abstract

2020 – a year without precedent Unprecedented is a word that is bandied about with little care for its true meaning, which is ‘never having happened or existed in the past’. Keywords: Potash; Market; Report; Global; World; ; Producers; Supply; Exports; Imports; Demand; Prices; Pricing; Muriate of potash; MOP; Uralkali; K+S; Nutrien; Anglo American; ICL; Israel; United Kingdom; Russia; Canada; China; India; Germany

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