Ammonium Nitrate Uses: Fertilizer, Blasting and Safety

The main ammonium nitrate uses are nitrogen fertilizer and blasting agents for mines and quarries, and also as an input to other chemical products, according to the IEA Ammonia Technology Roadmap. It holds 34% nitrogen, half as ammonium and half as nitrate, so it loses far less nitrogen to the air than surface-spread urea. World output was about 49 million tonnes of product in 2019, against 177 million tonnes of urea.

This guide explains each use, how the fertilizer compares with urea on nitrogen loss and cost, and what storage rules apply, with examples from the US, Great Britain and South Australia. It also has a calculator that compares your own quotes per acre. Ammonia, the chemical it is made from, has its own section further down.

Ammonium nitrate uses at a glance

Ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) is made by reacting ammonia with nitric acid. The solid is sold as small beads called prills or as granules. A joint US advisory explains that two commercial grades exist, and that they differ only in the density of the prills.

Why one chemical does both jobs

Nitrogen is what a crop wants. Oxygen is what a blast wants. Ammonium nitrate supplies both, and that explains its two very different markets. On its own it is an oxidizer, not a fuel. The US advisory notes that pure solid material is fairly stable and explodes only under extreme conditions, while organic contaminants make an explosion more likely and more energetic. That single fact shapes how it is made, sold, stored and regulated.

Ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer: crops and timing

Ammonium nitrate fertilizer gives a crop two forms of nitrogen in equal parts. The nitrate part is available at once. The ammonium part is held on soil particles and turns into nitrate over time. That split suits crops that need quick nitrogen as well as a steadier supply.

Where it fits best

• Topdressing wheat. The Purdue University nitrogen guide, an older publication last reprinted in 1986, rates ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate and cal-nitro as excellent for this job.
• Grass pasture. Purdue prefers ammonium nitrate or cal-nitro where the goal is even growth for grazing, because half the nitrogen is in the slower ammonium form.
• Sidedressing corn. Purdue says it can be used this way on lighter soils, though the limit is often having suitable equipment.
• Spring plowdown for corn. Purdue finds it satisfactory on heavier soils such as silt loams and clays, and less so as soils get coarser.

Rates should come from your own soil test and your local extension or advisory service, not from a general article. Follow the product label and local rules on timing, water protection and record keeping.

Placement and handling cautions

Montana State University fertilizer notes warn that excessive rates can reduce germination if the product is placed with seed. They also say it should not be mixed with urea. Purdue adds that prills pick up moisture from the air and must be protected with plastic when stored. Aerial application is a last resort, Purdue says, because granules falling into corn leaf whorls cause salt burn.

Timing matters as much as the product. Satellite crop maps can show which parts of a field are lagging before a topdress decision, though they show a change in plant vigor and not its cause, so walk those areas first. Farmonaut offers this kind of field monitoring.

▶ How satellite NDVI maps show crop stress across a farm · 4:09

Ammonium nitrate vs urea and other nitrogen sources

Each product carries a different amount of nitrogen, so prices per ton cannot be compared directly. Anhydrous ammonia is the most concentrated in the chart below. Ammonium nitrate carries about three quarters of the nitrogen of urea per ton.

Chart

Nitrogen content of common fertilizers

Typical % N by weight

Nitrogen loss to the air

Urea has to break down in the soil, and if it lies on the surface some nitrogen escapes as ammonia gas. Ammonium nitrate contains no urea, so this route is much smaller. The Manitoba government ranks the risk as urea first, then UAN solution, then ammonium nitrate.

Field trials show the size of the gap. In a 1988 Lancaster, Wisconsin study summarized by University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, surface-applied urea lost 16% of its nitrogen on corn and ammonium nitrate lost 2%. Oregon State University trials on Kentucky bluegrass seed fields, fall-applied in 2011, measured 23 to 25% for urea and 2 to 4% for ammonium nitrate. These are single studies under their own weather. Loss from urea swings widely with temperature, rain, residue and soil moisture.

When urea closes the gap

Urea does not always lose this much. Wisconsin Extension reports that incorporating it deep enough, about 3 inches in one study, cut losses to negligible levels. Rain or irrigation soon after spreading also helps, and so do urease inhibitors. In the Oregon trials, urea treated with Agrotain lost 10 to 18%, which sat between plain urea and ammonium nitrate. Growers in England face this choice under rules too: since April 2024, England has allowed unprotected urea only between January 15 and March 31, when losses are lower, according to the British Survey of Fertiliser Practice.

Why some farms use other products

Supply and handling are a large part of the answer. The IEA notes that urea is not classed as hazardous and is less demanding to store and move, which can drive the choice of urea in several regions. The Oregon State report also describes ammonium nitrate being replaced by other fertilizers such as urea in its region. Ask local dealers what they stock before you plan around it.

For how nitrogen fits with phosphate and potash in a blended product, see our guides to 13-13-13 fertilizer and 30-0-10 fertilizer.

Chart

Ammonia loss: ammonium nitrate vs urea, selected trials

% of applied nitrogen lost, surface-applied

What nitrogen costs: prices and a calculator

DTN retail survey data for the third week of October 2026 put anhydrous ammonia at $987 per short ton, urea at $674, UAN32 at $486 and UAN28 at $447. These are average US prices from agricultural retailers, so your contract or delivered price may differ. DTN does not report ammonium nitrate in that survey, so get a local quote.

Chart

US retail cost per pound of nitrogen

US$ per lb N, third week of October 2026, retail average

Per pound of nitrogen, the order changes. Anhydrous was the lowest at $0.60, even though it has the highest price per ton. Wholesale is a different number again: the USGS estimated the 2025 Gulf Coast ammonia average at $450 per short ton, after a range from $357 to $492 across the weekly figures it cites.

How to compare two quotes

Divide the price per ton by 2,000 pounds, then by the nitrogen share. Urea at $700 per ton works out at about $0.76 per pound of nitrogen. Ammonium nitrate at $600 works out at about $0.88. That looks like a clear win for urea, until you allow for the nitrogen that never reaches the crop. Use the calculator to test your own loss estimate. Ask your adviser for a figure that suits your soil, weather and application method.

Try the numbers for your own farm below.

How to use ammonium nitrate on a field: six steps

These steps are a planning order, not a rate recommendation. Your label, soil test and local rules decide the details.

1. Check you may buy and hold it. Ask your dealer and regulator first. Some countries and states license it, and others require notification above a set tonnage.
2. Set the nitrogen target. Start from a soil test and the yield you can expect. Take off nitrogen credits from manure or a previous legume, as your adviser suggests.
3. Convert nitrogen to product. Divide the pounds of nitrogen you want by 0.34. A target of 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre needs about 176 pounds of product per acre.
4. Calibrate the spreader. Products differ in density, so a setting for one may not suit another. Montana State notes that low-density prilled urea can separate during mixing, which prevents even spreading.
5. Time it to crop demand. Purdue’s older guide says that at low nitrogen rates on corn, up to 75 pounds per acre, sidedressing gave better use of nitrogen than pre-plant application. At full rates it found no difference between the two timings.
6. Clean up and record. Clear spills, wash equipment as the label directs, and keep product away from fuel and oil. Record the date, field, rate and any supplier lot number.

After spreading, compare treated strips or zones with the rest of the field as the crop responds. A small unfertilized check strip shows what the nitrogen actually did in that season.

▶ Six plain steps to start precision agriculture on your farm · 4:18

Ammonium nitrate and calcium ammonium nitrate compared

Growers in some regions see calcium ammonium nitrate more often than straight ammonium nitrate. The IEA lists it at about 27% nitrogen, made from ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate. Purdue describes the similar product cal-nitro as a mix of ammonium nitrate and crushed limestone that gives equal amounts of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen.

Purdue rates both as excellent for topdressing wheat, so the main differences are practical:

• Weight to haul. At 27% nitrogen, you spread about a quarter more product for the same nitrogen than with a 34% product.
• Moisture. Purdue says imported cal-nitro stores and handles well when dry, but takes up moisture more readily than domestic ammonium nitrate.
• Regulation. The nitrogen share and ammonium nitrate share can decide which rules apply, as the thresholds below show. Check the exact analysis against your local definition.

Compare both on cost per pound of nitrogen, using the same method as the calculator above. Replace 34% with the analysis on the bag.

What to ask before you buy

• What is the exact analysis, and is there a certificate for this lot?
• Is the price delivered or collected, and per short ton or per metric tonne? A metric tonne is 2,205 pounds, so mixed units can distort a comparison by about 10%.
• Does the product need a licence, notification or security record where I farm?
• How long can I store it, and can the dealer deliver close to the application date instead?
• What will spreading cost compared with the alternatives on my farm?

Buying close to use reduces the time you hold stock, and with it the security and storage work. That matters most for smaller farms without a dedicated non-combustible store.

Ammonium nitrate in blasting and mining

A US Bureau of Reclamation engineering manual calls ammonium nitrate the most commonly used oxidizer in explosives and blasting agents, and ANFO, its mix with fuel oil, the most commonly used blasting agent. The mix is made from the lower-density technical grade, which holds the fuel additive better.

ANFO works well in dry holes. The same manual says wet conditions call for an emulsion, water gel, slurry or gelatin dynamite instead, and that excess orange smoke after a blast points to the need for a water-resistant product or a better mix. Blasting is licensed work, and it must follow national explosives law and be run by qualified people. In the US, 27 CFR 555.220 sets separation distances between ammonium nitrate and explosives or blasting agents.

The IEA also lists quarrying and tunnelling among these uses. For a site owner, the budget questions are supply, storage and security rather than chemistry, so review those with your licensed blasting contractor early in the project.

What ammonia itself is used for

Many readers search for ammonia and ammonium nitrate together. Ammonia is the parent chemical of every product above. The USGS reports that about 88% of US ammonia production in 2025 went to fertilizer use. That figure covers all fertilizer forms, including anhydrous ammonia, urea, ammonium nitrates and ammonium phosphates. It is not a figure for direct application alone.

• Fertilizer. Injected as anhydrous ammonia, or converted to the products in the table above.
• Explosives, plastics and fibers. The USGS names explosives, plastics, synthetic fibers and resins among other uses.
• Refrigeration. OSHA keeps a dedicated safety page for ammonia refrigeration systems.
• Global industry. The IEA puts industrial uses at about 30% of world ammonia demand, higher than the US picture.

US supply

US plants produced an estimated 14 million tonnes of ammonia, as contained nitrogen, in 2025, against apparent consumption of 15 million tonnes. About 57% of production capacity sits in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas because of their natural gas reserves, and 18 companies had 38 plants in 19 states, one of them idle all year. Net import reliance was 5% of apparent consumption, with Canada and Trinidad and Tobago as the main sources over 2021 to 2024. For later data, check the annual USGS summary and the USDA Fertilizer Use and Price tables.

Chart

US ammonia output and apparent consumption

Thousand tonnes of contained nitrogen; 2025 is an estimate

Ammonium nitrate storage and safety rules

On April 17, 2013, a fire at a fertilizer storage site in West, Texas led to a detonation that killed 15 people and injured more than 250, according to the joint EPA, OSHA and ATF advisory. The US Chemical Safety Board investigation records twelve volunteer firefighters and two members of the public among those fatally injured. The IEA also names the Texas City disaster of 1947 and the Beirut explosion of 2020. It also notes that millions of tonnes of nitrogen products are moved and used each year without incident.

What the US advisory asks for

• Keep it clean. Keep out combustibles and organic matter such as packing materials, dust, seed, oils and waxes.
• Keep some metals away. Chlorides and some metals such as aluminum powder and copper can make it more sensitive.
• Separate it from grain. If possible, keep it at least 30 feet from dust-producing organics, or use a firewall.
• Choose the building with care. Use one-story buildings, with non-combustible construction strongly preferred. Metal or concrete bins are preferred, and wood must be specially treated.
• Allow for ventilation. Buildings should vent in a fire, to avoid a build-up of pressure.
• Warn responders. Post a sign that crews can see, and plan with your local fire department before any emergency.
• Never use explosives on caked material. The advisory says so directly.

The advisory explains why confinement matters. The material melts and begins to decompose at 337°F (170°C), giving off toxic gases and heat. If those gases cannot escape, the pressure and heat rise. The OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.109 sets binding requirements for storage in the US.

Rules differ by country

In Great Britain, HSE guidance on notification requires farms holding more than 150 tonnes of relevant mixtures, meaning nitrogen from ammonium nitrate above 15.75% by weight, to notify the local Fire and Rescue Service. In South Australia, SafeWork SA requires a licence for blends above 45% ammonium nitrate, covering actions such as storage, transport and use. Liquid fertilizers are outside that scheme, and licences are granted only for mining and agriculture. Canada has an Ammonium Nitrate Code of Practice, the IEA notes. Rules change, and they vary by state and province, so confirm with your regulator and get professional advice before you buy or store it.

Green ammonia: same chemical, different energy

Green ammonia is made with hydrogen from water electrolysis powered by renewable electricity, instead of hydrogen from natural gas. The molecule is identical, so its crop value and hazards do not change. What changes is the carbon footprint, and any ammonium nitrate made from it carries that lower footprint only for the ammonia part of the chain.

That makes the green label a paperwork claim about how a batch was made, not a purity grade. The Ammonia Energy Association says the pilot phase of its certification program began in September 2025 and remains open to new participants. Buyers asking for a green product should request the certificate and the emissions basis behind it. Fertilizer buyers should compare the premium with any verified contract benefit it brings, because agronomic results will be the same.

The USGS notes proposals for several decarbonized ammonia plants in North America, using carbon capture or green hydrogen. A proposal is not production, so ask about delivery dates in any supply contract.

Quality points that apply to every batch

Whatever the energy source, buyers should get a certificate of analysis for each lot, showing nitrogen content, physical form and any additives. For solid ammonium nitrate, combustible content matters too: the advisory says the US transport class for oxidizers is tied to limits of 0.2% combustible substances, or 0.4% for fertilizer blends. Keep these records with your store inventory.

How we checked the numbers

We used government, university, industry-body and farm trade-press documents, and gave each price its date and type. World production figures are from 2019, the year the IEA reports. Loss figures come from named trials and are not forecasts for your field.

FAQ

What is ammonium nitrate used for?

It is used mainly as a nitrogen fertilizer and as the oxidizer in blasting agents for mining, quarrying and tunnelling. It is also an input to other chemical products.

Is ammonium nitrate a good fertilizer?

It works well for topdressing wheat and for pasture, with low nitrogen loss when spread on the surface. The trade-offs are less nitrogen per ton than urea, moisture uptake and stricter storage rules.

How much nitrogen does ammonium nitrate contain?

About 34% by weight, or 680 pounds of nitrogen per short ton. Half is in ammonium form and half is nitrate. Check the analysis on the label of the product you buy.

Is ammonium nitrate dangerous to store on a farm?

It can be if contaminated, heated or confined, even though the pure material is fairly stable. Follow the storage steps above, the label and local rules, and speak with your fire department.

Can farmers still buy ammonium nitrate?

It depends on where you farm. Some places require a licence, and dealer supply varies. South Australia, for example, licenses blends above 45%. Ask your regulator and local dealers.

What is the difference between ammonia and ammonium nitrate?

Ammonia (NH₃) is a toxic gas at normal conditions, with 82% nitrogen. Ammonium nitrate is a solid made from ammonia and nitric acid, with 34% nitrogen. Each needs its own handling rules.

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