This book, scientific and technical in nature, is written in a clear and concise style by the author who aims at presenting scholarly content to be understood by those who do not have a strong background in chemistry, and the text will be enjoyed until the last page by anyone.
The book has seven chapters, each devoted to either method of production or set of applications as they intertwined during different stages of industrial and technological developments. The first chapter is a brief introduction that provides an overview of the physical properties of sulfur, its natural sources, and its ancient markets.
It is followed by the "Sulfur Age," also known as the Industrial Age, during which the dominant market for sulfur and sulfuric acid emerged, such as the Leblanc industry and phosphate fertilizers.
Sicily was the first global supplier of sulfur. Sulfur demand soared, becoming the first global commodity industry.
Large sulfur deposits were discovered in Texas and Louisiana. Hidden under the quagmire, the elusive deposits remained beyond the technology of the day. A new inventive process was discovered by Herman Frasch.
His technology created the great sulfur companies of the world, and America became the largest producer (and user) of sulfur (China is the major producer of sulfur today). Herman Frasch is less known but of similar stature as Edison. His patented inventions gave the edge to American industry, which went from 100% import to become the largest producer and exporter in less than one decade.
Sulfur is a common contaminant of oil and natural gas. It must be removed from these materials before they can be used as energy sources. It is the basis of the most modern industry. Recovery of sulfur from oil sands is the further extension of the present process, and its future is discussed.
The sulfur industry is an excellent "case study" of entrepreneurship and its relationship with investors. This book reveals the characteristics of entrepreneurs and inventors and approaches required to formulate goals. Most importantly, it shows how to succeed in new ventures. Rockefeller might have become a failed entrepreneur if Frasch had not have rescued him from his "bad investment." Frasch turned certain failure into success through his technological expertise and determination. Frasch's major expertise was in the oil industry and specifically in the removal of sulfur from oil.
The interested audience of this book goes far beyond the boundaries of sulfur applications and the oil industry, and as such, it should be found in every technical, university, and public library.
Gerald Kutney is Managing Director of Sixth Element Sustainable Management, a renewable energy technologies consultancy, and was until recently Adjunct Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia, Canada. He obtained his Ph.D. in organosulfur chemistry from the University of Toronto, and worked for CIL (ICI Canada) on elemental sulfur. He was president and CEO of an elemental sulfur fertilizer company and founder of an elemental sulfur logistics firm. His work has resulted in development of new technological processes, patented innovations, and scientific publications, all in the area of sulfur.
