CHEMICALS: Sulphur Shortage

Sulphur is one of the mainstays of U.S. industry. It is needed for everything from steel, fertilizer and rubber, to paper, rayon and flea powder. It is also one of the most plentiful of raw materials; in its most common form—pyrites deposits (sulphur mixed with other materials)—millions of tons are found above ground all over the world. Yet last week the U.S. and the whole Western bloc of nations were short of sulphur.

Fertilizer manufacturers, who use 35% of all U.S. sulphur, appeared before a House Agriculture subcommittee and complained that the shortage was cutting their output, thus threatening farm...

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