Bromine is a heavy, red-brown liquid element that gives off a toxic, corrosive vapour. In Gujarat, it is recovered from bittern, the strong brine left after salt making, and from underground brine in the Rann of Kutch.
It is one of the few elements that is liquid at room temperature. That makes it valuable to industry and difficult to handle.
What bromine is used for
- Brominated flame retardants for plastics, electronics and textiles.
- Clear brine completion fluids, such as calcium and zinc bromide, for oil and gas wells.
- Intermediates for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and dyes.
- Water treatment biocides for pools, cooling towers and industrial water.
- Bromide salts for photography, medicine and chemical synthesis.
Where it comes from
Seawater contains a small amount of bromide. As seawater evaporates in salt pans, salt crystallises out first and the bromide stays behind. The remaining bittern holds much more bromide than the original seawater. Subsoil brine in the Rann can be even richer. That is why bromine production in India grew around the salt works of Kutch and the Saurashtra coast, described in why Kutch is a major salt region.
How it is produced
Most plants use a version of the steaming-out or blowing-out process. The steps are broadly the same:
- The brine is warmed and acidified, usually with sulphuric or hydrochloric acid.
- Chlorine is added, which oxidises the bromide in the brine to free bromine.
- Steam or air is blown through the brine to strip the bromine out as a vapour.
- The vapour is condensed, separated from water, and purified by distillation.
- The spent brine is neutralised and returned or discharged under the plant's consent conditions.
What this means for buyers
Because production depends on brine and salt works, output follows the salt season and the weather. A heavy monsoon dilutes brine and can slow production. The process also needs a steady supply of chlorine and acid, so plants are often near chlor-alkali capacity or make their own.
Bromine is made by a limited number of producers in India, and some use most of their output to make derivatives. Many overseas buyers therefore buy bromine compounds, such as sodium bromide or calcium bromide, rather than the element. Those are far easier to ship. If you do need the element, agree a specification first. Buyers usually limit bromine content, chlorine, moisture, organic matter and non-volatile residue, and ask for the test method behind each figure.
Elemental bromine is highly toxic and corrosive. It ships only in specialised packaging under strict dangerous goods rules, covered in how bromine is shipped safely. Before you approach any supplier, check whether your own site is permitted and equipped to receive and store it.
Next step
We find and audit producers, check documents and test results, and supervise loading. To discuss bromine or bromine compounds, book a free sourcing review.