Closing the upcoming EU gypsum gap with phosphogypsum

Abstract

The EU Renewable Energy Directive with climate and energy goals does not leave room for coal-burning power plants that currently contribute approximately 17 million t of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum to EU manufacturers that require a total of 57 million t of gypsum per year (EU, 2020). It is also unlikely that natural gypsum production in the EU can be significantly increased in the near-term. Unlike other critical raw materials (CRMs) such as rare earth elements (REEs) that constitute a relatively small volume and can be imported over long-distances, such practice is not economically feasible for this relatively inexpensive (per weight) bulk-commodity used in large quantities. Transport costs for natural gypsum easily surpass the product value, so that imports would measurably increase prices for construction in the EU and affect millions.