CURRENT INDUSTRIAL REPORTS
QUARTERLY REPORT ON INORGANIC CHEMICALS - THIRD QUARTER 1996

MQ28A(96)-3
ISSUED NOVEMBER 1996

CONTACT: LISSENE HAFENRICHTER 301-457-4830

Table 1.  SUMMARY OF PRODUCTION OF PRINCIPAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS (Short tons)

                      Chlorine     Sodium   Titanium Hydrochloric  Aluminum     Sodium    Calcium      Sodium
    Month and Year         Gas Hydroxide,    Dioxide        Acid    Sulfate    Sulfate  Phosphates   Chlorate
                    (28121 11) total liq. (28161 00)  (28194 41, (29196 51) (28197 61,  (28199 18, (28197 27)
                        (100%) (28123 50)  commodity      45,47) (17% Al2O3) 66) (100% 19,22, 28742    (100%)
                                   (100%)     weight      (100%)               Na2SO4)  71) (100%)

     Year-to-date:
        1996........ 9,470,400  8,942,776    999,066   2,870,924    907,257    421,474   1,482,466    495,667
        1995........ 9,313,454  8,769,997  1,061,613   2,896,414    871,254    474,590   1,548,222    466,921

           1996

     Total.......... 9,470,400  8,942,776    999,066   2,870,924    907,257    421,474   1,482,466    495,667
Third quarter....... 3,296,314  3,083,284    335,226   1,014,195    331,812    128,834     485,876    186,718
Second quarter...... 3,338,312  3,157,256    337,945     992,052    307,970    134,853     501,046    162,097
First quarter....... 2,835,774  2,702,236    325,895     864,677    267,475    157,787     495,544    146,852

           1995

     Total..........12,395,320 11,334,631  1,382,334   3,907,076  1,143,749    710,853   2,065,648    614,536
Fourth quarter...... 3,081,866  2,564,634    320,721   1,010,662    272,495    236,263     517,426    147,615
Third quarter....... 3,125,318  2,933,694    340,033     989,871    313,872    153,168     521,697    152,691
Second quarter...... 3,097,482  2,855,585    364,696   1,002,526    289,021    152,967     502,330    158,583
First quarter....... 3,090,654  2,980,718    356,884     904,017    268,361    168,455     524,195    155,647

           1994

     Total..........12,187,313 12,538,968  1,379,884   3,754,429  1,139,841    651,696   2,059,437    559,015
Fourth quarter...... 3,142,648  3,268,381    344,944     996,217    269,676    146,324     549,369    147,465
Third quarter....... 3,081,204  3,178,515    353,340     980,661    314,501    136,643     503,679    145,689
Second quarter...... 2,971,479  3,019,295    352,125     898,950    292,739    180,495     507,375    134,829
First quarter....... 2,991,982  3,072,777    329,475     878,601    262,925    188,234     499,014    131,032

           1993

     Total..........12,079,112 12,493,386  1,279,308   3,491,865  1,071,850    591,675   2,012,114    539,259
Fourth quarter...... 3,072,866  3,169,526    317,029     885,716    259,279    129,834     515,112    136,996
Third quarter....... 3,075,586  3,171,280    311,605     857,195    288,907    128,486     487,107    135,880
Second quarter...... 3,013,647  3,113,151    317,159     853,409    267,068    116,049     508,643    132,053
First quarter....... 2,917,013  3,039,429    333,515     895,545    256,596    217,306     501,252    134,330

           1992

     Total..........11,757,216 12,244,489  1,253,368   3,609,596  1,047,160    609,213   2,100,968    554,564
Fourth quarter...... 3,027,000  3,133,230    320,995     917,792    238,797    146,274     534,576    148,776
Third quarter....... 2,985,408  3,107,110    327,387     869,571    276,786    141,602     533,174    143,568
Second quarter...... 2,885,310  3,009,855    314,075     920,090    264,037    168,706     513,720    127,141
First quarter....... 2,859,498  2,994,294    290,911     902,143    267,540    152,631     519,498    135,079

           1991

     Total..........11,572,224 12,033,115  1,094,915   3,380,939  1,192,602    804,736   1,903,456    448,908
Fourth quarter...... 2,920,902  3,014,594    278,950     878,309    288,851    180,096     509,626    120,393
Third quarter....... 2,976,378  3,098,577    273,804     883,022    321,227    190,025     467,988    123,533
Second quarter...... 2,782,964  2,917,037    269,818     774,791    300,874    180,544     447,767    105,865
First quarter....... 2,891,980  3,002,907    272,343     844,817    281,650    254,071     478,075     99,117


Table 2.  PRIMARY PRODUCTION AND STOCKS OF INORGANIC CHEMICALS
(Short tons, unless otherwise noted)

                                                                                     Third Quarter 1996             Second Quarter 1996            Third Quarter 1995
                                                                                                Stocks at                       Stocks at                      Stocks at
 Product   Product description                                                    Quantity      producing         Quantity      producing        Quantity      producing
    code                                                                          Produced         plants         produced         plants        Produced         plants

           Chlorine and alkalies:
              Chlorine(100%):
28121 11        Gas (1)...................................................       3,296,314           (NA)        3,338,312           (NA)       3,125,318           (NA)
28121 15        Liquid....................................................       2,570,578           (NA)        2,673,932           (NA)       2,595,553           (NA)
              Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda)(100%)(all
               processes):
28123 50        Liquid (2)................................................       3,083,284            (D)        3,157,256        434,196       2,933,694            (D)
28123 67        Dry (all forms)...........................................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28125 21      Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) (88 to
               92%), liquid (2)...........................................         128,358           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28125 30      Finished sodium bicarbonate (58% NA2O)......................         124,928           (NA)        r/120,472           (NA)         112,657           (NA)
28125 90      Sodium carbonate, natural (soda ash)(58%) (3)...............           2,706            245            2,609            287           2,756            190

           Acids:
              Hydrochloric (100%).........................................       1,014,195           (NA)          992,052           (NA)         989,871           (NA)
28194 41        From salt and acid........................................             (4)           (NA)              (4)           (NA)             (4)           (NA)
28194 45        From chlorine and hydrogen................................          82,639           (NA)           92,221           (NA)          90,219           (NA)
28194 47        Byproduct and other.......................................     4/a/931,556           (NA)      4/a/899,831           (NA)       4/899,652           (NA)
              Hydroflouric (100%):
28194 61        Produced and withdrawn from system
28194 65         (anhydrous, technical, and aqueous) (5)..................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)          38,727           (NA)
28194 66        Produced but not withdrawn from system....................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28194 11      Boric acid (100% H3BO3),(ortho boric acid)..................             (D)            (D)              (D)            (D)             (D)            (D)

           Other chemicals:
28195 00      Aluminum oxide, except natural alumina
               (100% Al2O3)...............................................     a/1,337,668            (S)      a/1,325,409      a/141,150       1,277,420       a/98,846
28196 17      Aluminum chloride, anhydrous (100%).........................             (S)           (NA)              (S)           (NA)           7,465           (NA)
28196 51      Aluminum sulfate (commercial)
               (17% aluminum oxide) (6)...................................       a/331,812           (NA)        a/307,970           (NA)         313,872           (NA)
28199 12      Calcium carbide (commercial)................................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
              Calcium phosphates:
28199 18        Monobasic (21% minimum P)(100%)...........................         185,918            (D)          191,529            (D)         202,039         51,295
28199 19        Dibasic (18.5% minimum P)(100%)...........................         163,811         45,075          170,286         45,739         186,185         59,165
                Tribasic (deflourinated phosphate rock)
                 (18.0% minimum P) (7):
28742 71          Animal feed, grade (deflourinated phosphate
                   rock) (100%)...........................................         129,401         27,750          132,842         21,562         124,796         23,438
28199 22          Other grades (100%).....................................           6,746          2,705            6,389          3,553           8,677          2,079
              Carbon, activated (8).......................................          46,910         16,782           47,639         17,086          38,601         12,112
28199 25        Granular carbons (dry weight) (9).........................          25,273         11,505           28,158          9,447          18,304          7,913
28199 27        Pulverized carbons (dry weight)...........................        a/21,637        a/5,277         a/19,481        a/7,639          20,297          4,199
              Chrome colors:
28163 15        Chrome yellow and orange (c.p.)...........................           1,496           (NA)            1,885           (NA)           1,923           (NA)
28163 17        Molybdate chrome orange (c.p.)............................             236           (NA)              180           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28199 39      Hydrogen peroxide (100% by weight)..........................             (S)           (NA)              (S)           (NA)          90,827           (NA)
28199 58      Phosphorus, elemental, white (yellow) and
               red (technical)............................................             (D)            (D)              (D)            (D)          68,027        a/9,247
28199 60      Phosphorus oxychloride (100%)...............................         a/8,763           (NA)          a/9,517           (NA)          10,070           (NA)
28199 61      Phosphorus pentasulfide (100%)..............................          16,993           (NA)           14,915           (NA)          16,716           (NA)
28199 63      Phosphorus trichloride (chloride) (100%)....................          52,779           (NA)           50,429           (NA)          48,958           (NA)
28197 18      Potassium pyrophosphate (tetrapotassium
               pyrophosphate) (anhydrous, 100%)...........................          11,215           (NA)          a/7,137           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28199 69      Silicon tetrachloride (sitet) (100% SiCl4)..................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28197 21      Sodium metal (100%).........................................             (D)            (D)              (D)            (D)             (D)            (D)
28199 33      Sodium bichromate and chromate (hydrous)....................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28197 27      Sodium chlorate (100%)......................................         186,718         17,538        r/162,097         20,712         152,691            (S)
28197 31      Sodium cyanide (100%).......................................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28197 30      Sodium hydrosulfite (100%)..................................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
              Sodium phosphates:
28197 34        Tribasic (100%)...........................................           5,252           (NA)            4,707           (NA)           5,164           (NA)
28197 35        Tetrabasic (pyro) (100%)..................................           3,836           (NA)            3,513           (NA)           5,215           (NA)
28197 36        Meta (100%)...............................................          11,592           (NA)            8,886           (NA)          10,521           (NA)
28197 38        Tripoly (100%)............................................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28197 41      Sodium silicate (soluble silicate glass, liquid
               and solid) (anhydrous) (10)................................       a/275,717           (NA)        a/275,040           (NA)         304,945           (NA)
28197 42      Metasilicate pentahydrate (100%)............................         a/8,911           (NA)           13,995           (NA)          10,022           (NA)
28197 44      Metasilicate anhydrous (100%)...............................          10,041           (NA)           17,174           (NA)          12,716           (NA)
              Sodium sulfate (100%).......................................         128,834           (NA)        r/134,853           (NA)         153,168           (NA)
28197 61        High purity...............................................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28197 66        Lower purity (99% or less) (includes
                 Glaubers salt)...........................................             (D)           (NA)              (D)           (NA)             (D)           (NA)
28161 00      Titanium Dioxide (composite and pure)
               (commodity weight).........................................         335,226     11/108,411          337,945     11/128,193         340,033     11/122,856

   1/Production includes amounts liquefied.
   2/Liquid production figures represent total production, including quantities later evaporated to solid caustic.
   3/Source:  U.S. Geological Survey.  Quantity reported in thousands of short tons.
   4/"Hydrochloric acid from salt and acid" is combined with "Hydrochloric acid, by-product and other" to avoid disclosing figures for
individual companies.
   5/Excludes anhydrous used in aqueous.
   6/Excludes quantities produced and consumed in municipalities.
   7/Includes animal feed and other grades, but excludes superphosphate or other fertilizer materials.
   8/Excludes reactivated carbon.
   9/Includes pelleted carbon.
   10/Excludes amounts produced and consumed in making meta, ortho, and sesquisilicates.
   11/Represents total stocks of producing companies, including amounts held at locations other than producing plants.

   D Data withheld to avoid disclosing figures for individual companies.  NA Not available.   r Revised by 5 percent or more from
previously published figures.  S Suppressed.  Data does not meet publication standards of the Bureau of the Census.

   Note:  The percent of estimation of each item is indicated as follows (see "Description of Survey" in the text of the first quarter 1992 report for
this series, MQ28A(92)-1, issued June 1992, for a discussion of estimation of missing reports):  a) 20 percent or more of this item is estimated.


Table 3.  PRODUCTION, EXPORTS, IMPORTS, AND APPARENT CONSUMPTION OF SELECTED
          INORGANIC CHEMICALS : Second Quarter 1996 (Metric tons)

                                                                                 Exports                                Percent
                                                                             of domestic      Imports     Apparent   imports to
 Product                     Product description                   Quantity     merchan-     for con-     consump-     apparent
    code                                                           produced       dise/1   sumption/2       tion/3  consumption
28121 11 Chlorine..........................................       3,026,575        4,231       90,746    3,113,090          2.9

28125 21 Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash)..............             (D)       18,784        9,754          (D)          (D)

28123 50 Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda)...................       2,862,426      530,322      135,787    2,467,891          5.5

28125 30 Finished sodium bicarbonate.......................         109,222       18,709        4,425       94,938          4.7

28194 41
28194 45 Hydrochloric acid.................................         899,413       14,429       16,668      901,652          1.8
28194 47

28194 61
28194 65 Hydroflouric acid.................................             (D)        2,355       38,613          (D)          (D)


28195 00 Aluminum oxide(excludes natural alumina)..........       1,201,640      239,991    1,064,291    2,025,940         52.5

28196 17 Aluminum chloride, anhydrous......................             (S)        2,077          755          (S)          (S)

28196 51 Aluminum sulfate..................................         279,211          903       11,651      289,959          4.0

28197 21 Sodium metal......................................             (D)          546          190          (D)          (D)

28197 27 Sodium chlorate...................................         146,960       13,095       91,549      225,414         40.6

28197 34 Sodium phosphate (tribasic).......................           4,267          178          826        4,915         16.8

28197 42
28197 44 Sodium metasilicate...............................          28,258        2,718          609       26,149          2.3

28197 61
28197 66 Sodium sulfate....................................         122,260        4,159       49,095      167,196         29.4

28199 12 Calcium carbide...................................             (D)        7,830          172          (D)          (D)

28199 18
28199 19
28742 71 Calcium phosphate.................................         454,257       54,602        3,240      402,895          0.8
28199 22

28199 25
28199 27 Carbon, activated (excludes reactivated carbon)...          43,190        8,902        9,536       43,824         21.8

28199 39 Hydrogen peroxide.................................             (S)        8,977       18,764          (S)          (S)

28199 58 Phosphorus elemental..............................             (D)        3,011          209          (D)          (D)

28199 60
28199 63 Phosphorus oxychloride and phosphorus trichloride.          54,348          299            7       54,056          (Z)

28161 00 Titanium dioxide..................................         306,387       75,275       40,959      272,071         15.1

   1/Source: Bureau of the Census report EM 545, U.S. Exports (see table 4)
   2/Source: Bureau of the Census report IN 145, U.S. Imports for Consumption (see table 4)
   3/Apparent consumption represents new domestic supply and is derived by subtracting exports from the total of
manufactures' production plus imports.

   -  Represents zero.  D Data withheld to avoid disclosing figures for individual companies.  S Suppressed.
Data does not meet publication standards of the Bureau of the Census.  Z Less than one-half of one percent.
NA Not Available.


Table 4.  COMPARISON OF STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION-BASED PRODUCT CODES WITH
           SCHEDULE B EXPORT NUMBERS AND HTUSA IMPORT NUMBERS: 1996


 Product                 Product description                        Export         Import
    code                                                          Number/1       Number/2
28121 11   Chlorine gas.....................................  2801.10.0000   2801.10.0000

28125 21   Potassium hydroxide, liquid......................  2815.20.0000   2815.20.0000

28123 50   Sodium hydroxide, total liquid (all processes)...  2815.12.0000   2815.12.0000
                                                              2815.11.0000   2815.11.0000

28125 30   Finished sodium bicarbonate......................  2836.30.0000   2836.30.0000


28194 41
28194 45   Hydrochloric acid................................  2806.10.0000   2806.10.0000
28194 47

28194 61
28194 65   Hydroflouric acid................................  2811.11.0000   2811.11.0000

28195 00   Aluminum oxide...................................  2818.20.0000   2818.20.0000

28196 13
28196 17   Aluminum chloride................................  2827.32.0000   2827.32.0000

28196 51   Aluminum sulfate (commercial)....................  2833.22.0000   2833.22.0000

28197 21   Sodium metal.....................................  2805.11.0000   2805.11.0000

28197 27   Sodium chlorate..................................  2829.11.0000   2829.11.0000

28197 34   Sodium phosphate tribasic........................  2835.23.0000   2835.23.0000

28197 42
28197 44   Sodium metasilicates.............................  2839.11.0000   2839.11.0000

28197 61                                                      2833.11.1000   2833.11.1000
28197 66   Sodium sulfate...................................  2833.11.5000   2833.11.5010
                                                              2833.19.0000   2833.11.5050
                                                                             2833.19.0000

28199 12   Calcium carbide..................................  2849.10.0000   2849.10.0000

28199 18
28199 19                                                      2835.25.0000   2835.25.0000
28742 71   Calcium phosphates...............................  2835.26.0000   2835.26.0000
28199 22

28199 25
28199 27   Carbon activated (granular and pulverized).......  3802.10.0000   3802.10.0000

28199 39   Hydrogen peroxide................................  2847.00.0000   2847.00.0000

28199 58   Phosphorous, elemental...........................  2804.70.0000   2804.70.0000

28199 60
28199 63   Phosphorous, oxychloride and trichloride.........  2812.10.5010   2812.10.5010



                                                              2823.00.0000   2823.00.0000
28161 00   Titanium dioxide (composite and pure)............  3206.11.0000   3206.11.0000
                                                              3206.19.0000   3206.19.0000


   1/Source: 1996 edition, Harmonized System-Based Schedule B, Statistical Classification of
Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States.
   2/Source:  Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, Annotated (1996).

   NA Not available.