Selenium
nonmetal · Group 16 · Period 4
Atomic properties
Market data
Raw material sources & pricing
| Raw Material Form | Se Content | Price Paid by Refiners | Major Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Anode Slimes | 5-25% Se | $8,000-15,000/MT | Chile, Japan, Poland | Primary source, 90% of Se production |
| Lead Refinery Residues | 3-10% Se | $5,000-8,000/MT | Canada, Belgium | Secondary source, complex processing |
| Sulfuric Acid Plant Sludges | 1-5% Se | $2,000-5,000/MT | Various locations | From seleniferous ores |
| Coal Fly Ash | 0.01-0.1% Se | Not economical | China, USA | Research stage only |
Copper Anode Slimes - Primary Raw Material
Current Market Price: $8,000-15,000/MT (varies by Se content 5-25%) Major Global Sources: Chile: 38% of global selenium production - From copper refineries Japan: 25% - Advanced recovery from copper/lead refineries Canada: 8% - Copper-nickel operations Belgium: 7% - Secondary recovery specialist 2025 Production Leaders: Global Production: ~3,300 MT/year Chile: 1,254 MT (Codelco operations) Japan: 825 MT (Sumitomo, Mitsubishi) Russia: 350 MT Canada: 264 MT Raw Material Form Se Content Price Paid by Refiners Major Sources Notes Copper Anode Slimes 5-25% Se $8,000-15,000/MT Chile, Japan, Poland Primary source, 90% of Se production Lead Refinery Residues 3-10% Se $5,000-8,000/MT Canada, Belgium Secondary source, complex processing Sulfuric Acid Plant Sludges 1-5% Se $2,000-5,000/MT Various loc
⚠️ Seawater Selenium Extraction
Commercial Viability: NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE Concentration: 0.00015 ppm (extremely low) Chemical Form: SeO₄²⁻ (selenate) and SeO₃²⁻ (selenite) Status: No commercial concentrated seawater selenium form exists anywhere globally. The extremely low concentration (1000x lower than aluminum) makes extraction completely uneconomical. Note: Selenium in seawater is primarily in oxidized forms and would require massive volumes of water processing for negligible yields.
Production cost analysis
| Cost Component | $/kg Selenium (99.5%) | % of Total Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anode Slimes (4-20 kg needed) | $32-120 | 35-45% | Varies by Se content |
| Energy (Roasting/Reduction) | $15-25 | 15-20% | See detailed breakdown below |
| Chemicals (H₂SO₄, SO₂, etc.) | $20-30 | 20-25% | Sulfuric acid, reducing agents |
| Labor | $8-12 | 8-10% | Specialized handling required |
| Environmental/Safety | $10-15 | 10-12% | Toxic waste treatment |
| Total Production Cost | $85-202 | 100% | Compare to selling price: $25-90/kg |
Energy consumption breakdown
| Process Stage | Energy Consumption | % of Total Energy | Energy Type | Key Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxidizing Roast | 72 MJ/kg | 40% | Natural Gas | 650-700°C to form SeO₂ |
| Wet Scrubbing/Dissolution | 18 MJ/kg | 10% | Electricity | Pumping, agitation, heating |
| SO₂ Reduction | 54 MJ/kg | 30% | Steam/Gas | Precipitation of elemental Se |
| Purification/Distillation | 36 MJ/kg | 20% | Electricity | Vacuum distillation at 685°C |
Roasting Process Energy Details (40%)
Heating to 650-700°C: 25% - Natural gas furnaces Maintaining temperature: 10% - Continuous heating Air supply/circulation: 3% - Blowers and fans Material handling: 2% - Conveyors, feeders
Reduction Process Energy Details (30%)
SO₂ generation: 15% - Sulfur burning or recovery Solution heating: 10% - Steam injection Agitation: 3% - Mechanical stirring Filtration: 2% - Pressure filtration
Commercial forms & specifications
| Product Form | Chemical Formula | Molecular Weight | Typical Purity | Price Range (USD/kg) | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selenium Metal (Shot/Pellets) | Se | 78.971 g/mol | 99.5-99.999% | $25-90 | Glass, electronics, pigments |
| Selenium Powder | Se | 78.971 g/mol | 99.5-99.99% | $30-100 | Metallurgy, chemicals |
| High Purity Se (5N-6N) | Se | 78.971 g/mol | 99.999-99.9999% | $200-800 | Semiconductors, solar cells |
| Selenium Dioxide | SeO₂ | 110.96 g/mol | 98-99.9% | $40-120 | Catalyst, glass decolorizer |
| Sodium Selenite | Na₂SeO₃ | 172.94 g/mol | 98-99% | $25-60 | Animal feed, glass |
| Sodium Selenate | Na₂SeO₄ | 188.94 g/mol | 98-99% | $30-70 | Feed supplement, reagent |
| Selenic Acid | H₂SeO₄ | 144.97 g/mol | 40% solution | $50-150 | Reagent, synthesis |
| Zinc Selenide | ZnSe | 144.35 g/mol | 99.99% | $300-1,200 | Optics, semiconductors |
| Cadmium Selenide | CdSe | 191.37 g/mol | 99.99% | $500-2,000 | Quantum dots, solar cells |
| CIGS Target | Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ | Variable | 99.95% | $800-3,000 | Thin-film solar cells |
| Selenium Sulfide | SeS₂ | 143.09 g/mol | 98% | $40-100 | Anti-dandruff shampoos |
| L-Selenomethionine | C₅H₁₁NO₂Se | 196.11 g/mol | 98-99% | $2,000-5,000 | Nutritional supplements |
Suppliers by country
🇯🇵 Japan
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Sumitomo Metal Mining | Metal (shot/powder), SeO₂, high purity Se | 5N-6N selenium, CIGS materials |
| Mitsubishi Materials | Metal, compounds, selenides | Electronic grade selenium |
| Nippon Rare Metal | High purity Se, compounds | Semiconductor grade materials |
🇨🇱 Chile
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Codelco | Technical grade Se, refined Se | World's largest producer from copper anode slimes |
| Molymet | Se metal, selenium compounds | Integrated copper byproduct recovery |
🇧🇪 Belgium
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Umicore | High purity Se, compounds, recycled Se | Specialty chemicals, recycling leader |
| Vital Materials Belgium | 5N-6N Se, selenides, CIGS materials | Ultra-high purity for semiconductors |
🇨🇦 Canada
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| 5N Plus | High purity Se, selenides, tellurides | Semiconductor and solar materials |
| Vale (formerly Inco) | Technical grade selenium | Byproduct from nickel operations |
🇨🇳 China
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Jinchuan Group | Se metal, SeO₂, sodium selenite | Integrated copper-nickel producer |
| Jiangxi Copper | Technical grade Se, refined Se | Large-scale copper refinery byproduct |
| Vital Materials Co. | High purity Se, compounds, CIGS | Advanced materials for electronics |
🇷🇺 Russia
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Norilsk Nickel | Technical grade selenium | Byproduct from copper-nickel operations |
| UMMC | Se metal, basic compounds | Copper refinery byproduct |
🇵🇪 Peru
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Copper (Grupo México) | Technical grade selenium | Copper smelter byproduct |
Market demand by product form
| Product Form | Global Market Size | Volume (MT/year) | Major Markets | Growth Rate (CAGR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass Manufacturing | $55 million | 1,050 MT | China 45%, USA 15% | 2.5% |
| Electronics/Semiconductors | $38 million | 450 MT | Asia 70%, USA 20% | 5.8% |
| Solar Cells (CIGS) | $28 million | 320 MT | China 40%, Japan 25% | 8.2% |
| Metallurgy/Alloys | $18 million | 380 MT | Global distribution | 3.5% |
| Animal Feed Supplements | $12 million | 450 MT | USA 35%, EU 30% | 4.2% |
| Pigments/Ceramics | $8 million | 200 MT | Europe 40%, USA 25% | 2.8% |
| Human Nutrition | $3.5 million | 25 MT | USA 40%, EU 35% | 6.5% |
| Other (Rubber, Chemicals) | $2.5 million | 125 MT | Various | 3.0% |
Market trends
Solar Industry Growth: CIGS thin-film solar cells driving demand for high-purity selenium, expected to reach 500 MT by 2030 Supply Concentration: 70% of production controlled by top 5 companies, creating supply chain vulnerabilities Recycling Development: End-of-life CIGS panels becoming new selenium source, pilot plants in Germany and Japan China Market Shift: From net exporter to net importer due to domestic solar industry growth Price Volatility: Selenium prices fluctuating 40-80% annually due to small market size Environmental Regulations: Stricter controls on selenium emissions affecting production costs Nutrition Market: Growing awareness of selenium deficiency driving supplement demand in Asia
Moles per kilogram
| Product Form | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Moles/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selenium Metal | Se | 78.971 | 12.66 |
| Selenium Dioxide | SeO₂ | 110.96 | 9.01 |
| Sodium Selenite | Na₂SeO₃ | 172.94 | 5.78 |
| Sodium Selenate | Na₂SeO₄ | 188.94 | 5.29 |
| Zinc Selenide | ZnSe | 144.35 | 6.93 |
| Cadmium Selenide | CdSe | 191.37 | 5.23 |
| Selenium Sulfide | SeS₂ | 143.09 | 6.99 |
References
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