PentaSul Sulphuric Acid Market Presented at ISM Chemical Group Winter Meeting 2008 Galveston, TX February 28, 2008

PentaSul Sulphuric Acid – a hot market!! In the US prices have tripled to an all-time high in the last twelve months, from $50- 70/st to $ /st cfr customer tank. –Why did they get so high? –Have they peaked? –When will the market turn? –Is this a structural change? –How low will prices go and when?

PentaSul World Sulphuric Acid Supply Trends

PentaSul Sulphuric Acid - End Uses

PentaSul SULPHURIC ACID in PHOSPHATE SULPHUR - one tonne SULPHURIC ACID - 3 tonnes PHOSPHATE ROCK - 3 tonnes PHOSPHORIC ACID one tonne P2O5 PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS DAP - two tonnes 0.5 tonne NH 3 Up to $30/tonne acid of byproduct energy available

PentaSul Copper Price History 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes acid per tonne copper.

PentaSul Sulphuric Acid Long-Haul Trade Total Trade 11.8 Seaborne 7.2 Long-Haul million tonnes

PentaSul Market Developments A spike in import demand in Chile in late 2006 started the acid price surge. By mid-2007 world sulphur prices started to move as well. Not fully reflected in the United States until Q Sulphur increase began to be passed through to US sulphuric acid buyers.

PentaSul Chile Sulphuric Acid Imports (million tonnes) Growth in first-quarter 2007 based on expected arrivals from Peru. Q shows imports from other sources returning to more manageable level. And Q3 even more so.

PentaSul Spot Purchases for Chile Started the Upturn

PentaSul Chile Imports Much More in 2007 Chile’s long-haul acid imports surge, even with increased imports from Peru.

PentaSul Far East Sulphuric Acid Exports million tonnes

PentaSul Japan, Korea both export more Surging world prices attract more sales outside the region. Less to China.

PentaSul Japan needed the US as a swing market until it developed China

PentaSul China Sulphuric Acid Imports ‘000 tonnes

PentaSul New Acid Supply (‘000 tonnes) Bulgaria – expansion complete to add 170. Egypt – 420 imminent. Displaces around 200 imports from India. Finland – 340 by January Part from Harjavalta expansion part from Growhow. Namibia – 300 end Displacing 225/250 imports. Chile – Altonorte up 300 Q Cuba – 400 end Displacing imports. Peru – Doe Run up 315 by end New exporter. Cajamarquilla up 280 in Ilo up 500 in 2010?

PentaSul New Acid Demand (‘000 tonnes) Turkey – Caldag will look for start-up tonnes in Finland – Talvivaara needs ,000 t.p.a. from Cuba – Debottlenecking prior to new acid plant completion in Philippines – Doubling of Coral Bay Nickel will add 260 to import demand Q U.S.A. – Freeport needs for Safford, AZ. U.S. Gulf/Mexico – Phosphate producers could use a lot more if affordable. Chile – Gaby among several imminent projects.

PentaSul Sulphur Prices Why are sulphur prices high? Production (supply) development slower than expected as projects slow to come online on labor and cost constraints. Canada and Russia exports fall in Q Strong demand by China. Phosphate market shows strength. Does this signal a fundamental change in pricing structure? Probably not. Higher costs raise price floor level. Production restrictions will eventually be removed. Domestic sulphur production in China will grow and reduce the need for imports.

PentaSul Late 2006 – sulphur prices were still declining!

PentaSul Major Suppliers Provide less Sulphur in Q Estimates Vancouver 25% decline Russia 50% decline

PentaSul ADNOC posting (fob) $240/tonne November 1 st $360/tonne December 1 st $495/tonne January 1 st $600/tonne February 1 st Accelerating rate of price increases: $54-$100 – elapsed time 5 months $100-$200 – 4 months $200 - $600 – less than 4 months

PentaSul DAP Price History 0.5 tonne sulphur per tonne DAP produced.

PentaSul Sulphur supply was less than expected in 2007 ‘000 tonnes Forecast Revised Estimate Canada gas6,2255,500 Kazakhstan2,3501,600 China gas48080 Saudi Arabia2,7502,450 U.S. oil7,3506,950 Source: IFA/FRC

PentaSul More sulphur in the longer term, but slightly reduced growth to reflect delays in the short term All forms; sulphuric acid, SOX, Ammonium sulphate, etc.

PentaSul World Elemental Sulphur Production and Demand ‘000 tonnes S Forecast 2% 7% 13% 22% 25% China as % World demand

PentaSul World Sulphur Balance & Price Forecast US$/tonne Revised January 2008 Source: IFA/FRC ?

PentaSul North America Sulphuric Acid Market Struggle to obtain offshore imports

PentaSul US Sulphuric Acid Market

PentaSul North America - Recent Developments Total absence of sea-borne imports in first- half U.S. imports. Four cargoes booked for second half by Interacid/SATCO. Martin adds 400 t/day production in Texas. DuPont in start-up at El Paso. FCX 20-30,000 t.p.m. requirement for Safford started January 1, not covered.

PentaSul North America – Late Breaking News Southern States to add 200,000 t/yr. capacity at Wilmington, NC, bought gently-used old burner from US ordinance plant. Chemtrade Logistics decides not to sell after lengthy bidding process. Vale Inco tenders sulphur products marketing, stays with Chemtrade. Vale bids for Xstrata. Canada competition?? Martin to build 400 t/day merchant plant at Beaumont.

PentaSul US Imports – Ocean Going Now Minimal Rail deliveries from Mexico depressed in 2006/7.

PentaSul Mexico – Acid Availability Poor Mine strikes curtail acid availability for Southwestern US market

PentaSul Canada - Sulphuric Acid Balances Sulphuric Acid Balance 2006 million tonnes H 2 SO 4 Prodn smelters3.2 - elemental1.6 Cons fertilizers1.5 - non ferts.1.3 Net Exports2.0 Dom. Purchases

PentaSul North America Sulphuric Acid Trade

PentaSul Latin America the Key Import Region Taking account of Mexico’s exports out of the region and Chile’s higher than expected net imports, Latin American imports will be even stronger than forecast.

PentaSul Long term US acid balance shows few offshore imports

PentaSul US Acid Prices May Track Sulphur But only when global smelter acid surpluses need to be absorbed here Or when sulphur-based acid is part of merchant supply. $ In 2008

PentaSul North America – Points to Watch How FCX acid procurement for Safford via Martin goes, impact on Southwest balance. Implications of Vale and Xstrata’s cooperation in Sudbury area – or a merger of the two? Construction of new spent acid regeneration capacity to service refinery expansions. Use of any sulphur-based capacity in the US in next phosphate downturn in the merchant acid market.

PentaSul Summary and Market Outlook Prices in the US have tripled in 12 months. Caused first by world demand for imports bidding up the price, driven by strong end- product prices. Then the ‘sulphur effect’ later in 2007 was additive. All markets look set to remain strong through During 2009 new supply of smelter acid and sulphur will begin to materialize and the market should turn. Sulphuric acid prices in the US should be back below $100/st by 2010, but will not return to the sub- $50 range. Reason: the US will be supplanted by China as the ‘dumping ground’ for the next round of smelter acid surpluses.