Industrial salts and alkalis
Sodium Nitrate 99% — Industrial Oxidizer for Heat Treatment, Glass & Concrete
FOB Black Sea / MENA · CFR/CIF worldwide on request
Indicative price
USD 230–280 / MT
Indicative range, firm quote on request
Key parameters
Full product details
Product overview
Sodium nitrate — NaNO₃ in its industrial crystalline form — is a high-purity inorganic oxidizer traded globally for metal heat treatment, glass manufacturing and construction chemical applications. Produced by neutralising nitric acid with soda ash or caustic soda at integrated nitrate complexes, export-grade material at 99% NaNO₃ delivers a stable oxidizing salt that does not decompose below 380 °C, unlike ammonium nitrate which releases ammonia above 200 °C. Our grade with chloride capped at 0.15% and water insolubles at 0.1% meets the purity thresholds martensitic salt-bath operators and specialty glass frit producers require, where chloride contamination accelerates furnace refractory attack and insoluble fines clog spray-dry nozzles.
Primary demand channels include neutral salt-bath and marquenching furnaces where NaNO₃–KNO₃ eutectic mixtures control austenitizing temperature without carbon pickup, container and flat glass plants using sodium nitrate as a fining and colour-control oxidizer in the melt, concrete admixture manufacturers formulating set accelerators for cold-weather pours, and fertilizer blenders supplying nitrate nitrogen to alkaline soils where ammonium salts would volatilize. Typical buyers are heat-treatment job shops on annual salt replenishment contracts, regional glass compounders sourcing merchant oxidizer between furnace campaigns, construction chemical plants building winter-grade accelerator lines, and traders stocking ahead of Q4 construction season in temperate climates.
Supply origins include Chilean caliche-derived nitrate refineries and Eastern European synthetic plants at Black Sea and MENA chemical hubs with established bulk loading terminals and container stuffing lines for bagged export. Sodium nitrate is classified as an oxidizer under IMDG — stowage and segregation rules apply on all ocean legs. HS code 2834.10. MOQ from 500 MT on FOB, CFR or CIF terms.
Full specification
| NaNO₃ (sodium nitrate) | 99% min |
| Nitrogen (N) | 16.5% min |
| Moisture | 0.5% max |
| Chloride (NaCl) | 0.15% max |
| Water insoluble matter | 0.1% max |
| Sodium oxide (Na₂O) | 36.5% min |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder or prills |
| Grade | Industrial sodium nitrate |
| HS code | 2834.10 |
Loading ports & logistics
Sodium nitrate is a hygroscopic oxidizer that must remain dry and segregated from combustible cargo throughout the supply chain. We coordinate three principal delivery modes depending on parcel size and receiver infrastructure.
Geared bulk carriers load parcels of 3,000–15,000 MT at dedicated chemical berths on FOB Black Sea and MENA origins. Holds require dry-hold certification and oxidizer-class stowage per IMDG Code. Discharge at the destination needs covered silos or warehouse space — open stockpiles absorb moisture and cake within days.
25 kg PE-lined bags in 20-foot containers hold approximately 22–25 MT net per unit and suit mid-size buyers without deep-water bulk terminals. Bags are palletized, stretch-wrapped and desiccant-lined for the sea leg. Ideal for parcels of 500–2,500 MT assembled across multiple container bookings on FOB or CFR terms.
1-tonne FIBC big bags on break-bulk coasters move 500–3,000 MT on short-sea routes to Mediterranean, Red Sea and Indian Ocean discharge ports with geared crane facilities. FOB loading at exporter-nominated berth; CFR and CIF quotes include vessel freight, marine insurance and oxidizer stowage compliance review before firm offer. Typical lead time 12–22 days from contract execution to loading window.
Packaging & documentation
Cargo ships as bulk sodium nitrate in vessel holds, 25 kg laminated PP woven bags with polyethylene inner liner, or 1-tonne FIBC big bags with moisture-barrier liners for container export. Each lot is accompanied by a mill certificate of analysis showing NaNO₃, moisture, chloride and water-insoluble results, safety data sheet (SDS) per GHS with oxidizer classification, commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin. Sodium nitrate content is confirmed by reduction titration or ion chromatography on the COA.
Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas or equivalent) at loading can be arranged on buyer request. Bag integrity, moisture content and oxidizer labelling compliance are included in the standard inspection scope for containerized shipments. We issue stowage and segregation instructions with the shipping package — sodium nitrate must not be stowed adjacent to combustible organics, sulphur, powdered metals or reducing agents.
FAQ
When should industrial buyers choose sodium nitrate over ammonium nitrate?
Sodium nitrate suits alkaline process environments where ammonium salts would release ammonia vapour — martensitic salt-bath heat treatment, glass and enamel frit melts, and concrete accelerator formulations that must not lower pH. Ammonium nitrate delivers higher nitrogen concentration per tonne at lower cost but is more hygroscopic and subject to stricter transport classification in many jurisdictions. Sodium nitrate remains the preferred oxidizer where thermal stability above 200 °C and freedom from ammonium decomposition matter.
How should bulk sodium nitrate be stored and shipped to prevent caking?
Sodium nitrate is hygroscopic and cakes when exposed to humidity above 65% relative humidity. Bulk holds require dry-hold certification and covered discharge at destination. Container lots ship in 25 kg PE-lined woven bags or 1-tonne FIBC big bags with moisture-barrier liners, palletized and stretch-wrapped. Keep stockpiles under roof on sealed floors; do not store adjacent to combustible organics, sulphur or reducing agents because NaNO₃ is a strong oxidizer.
What factors drive the indicative sodium nitrate export price?
FOB quotations track nitric acid and caustic soda feedstock costs at Chilean and Eastern European producers, competing potassium nitrate substitution in fertilizer blends, container freight to South Asia and West Africa, and seasonal demand from glass-furnace turnarounds and construction chemical plants. The USD 230–280/MT band reflects current 99% industrial-grade purity and origin differentials; firm pricing is confirmed at contract signing.
Related products
- Nitric Acid — feedstock for sodium nitrate synthesis and metal passivation
- Potassium Nitrate Technical — companion nitrate salt for salt-bath eutectic blends
- Soda Ash Light — sodium carbonate alkali used in nitrate neutralisation circuits