ZEOLITE MARKET ANALYSIS

Zeolite MarketSize and Trends

Market Outlook

• Europe held the dominant position in the market in 2017. Radiation modified natural zeolites are used for treating nuclear waste and natural zeolite minerals as storage of solar energy. Europe is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period, owing to the rising use of bio-based raw materials and renewable sources of energies such as nuclear or solar. This factor will contribute towards the lucrative growth of global zeolite market.
• According to US Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, in 2015, natural zeolites production was increased by 20% to 75,100 metric tons in the U.S. and global production was estimated at around 2.7-3.2 million metric tons. According to this survey, China was the leading producer of natural zeolites in 2015, with production likely in the range of 1.8 to 2.2 million metric tons.
• Among function, catalyst segment is projected to gain major traction over the forecast period, owing to high demand from chemical and petrochemicals industries. Properties of zeolites such as acidity and shape selectivity play a major role in their use as a catalyst and therefore is used in the manufacturing of chemicals and premium quality fuels.

Market Dynamics  

• A major driver for the growth of the global zeolite market is rising demand for the detergents for the domestic and industrial application. For instance, According to the department of consumer affairs, in India, the market for synthetic detergents was valued at about US $1.63 billion in 2013, with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of three percent. Zeolites remove dyes from the washing liquor by hetero-coagulation and adsorption. Zeolites can exchange hard ions with soft ions and are used for softening of water.
• However, increasing adoption of catalysts, which are equally cost competitive may hamper the growth of the global zeolite market. For instance, Rare earth metal ions which are costly are being replaced by Copper, Zinc, Cobalt etc.