oxalic acid

Oxalic acid is mainly used as bleaching agent in pharmaceutical and fiber sectors, as cleaning agent to remove pig iron pollution and also as precipitating agent for rare earth metals and in film processing of aluminum alloys. The rapid development of rare earth metal smelting and the demand increase of oxalic acid in recent years have created favorable conditions to the development of the oxalic acid sector. The oxalic acid production in the world is mainly concentrated in Asia where the current annual output is 150 000 tons. China has more than 50 oxalic acid producers with a total capacity of around 200 000 t/a. The operating rate is less than 50％, and the actual annual output is therefore 90 000 - 100 000 tons. Producers with a big market share include Shanxi Yuanping No. 2 Chemical Plant with a capacity of 30 000 t/a at the end of 1998, Mudanjiang Yinxi Chemical General Plant with a capacity of 40 000 t/a in 1998, Tianjin Organic Synthesis Plant with a capacity of 10 000 t/n in 1998 and Hefei Dongfeng Chemical Plant maintaining a capacity of 10 000 t/a.