Expanding Industrial Applications of Phosphogypsum: From Green Building Materials to Acid Recycling and Polymer Products

Phosphogypsum is a solid waste generated during the wet-process phosphoric acid production, with calcium sulfate dihydrate as its main component. Its composition is relatively complex, containing not only calcium sulfate but also incompletely decomposed phosphate rock, residual phosphoric acid, fluorides, acid-insoluble substances, and organic matter. Among these, fluorine and organic matter have the greatest impact on the resource utilization of phosphogypsum.

01. Phosphogypsum for Green Building Materials
Phosphogypsum can be transformed into green building materials such as self-leveling mortar and high-precision interlocking modules, featuring excellent properties including fire resistance, energy efficiency, low carbon emissions, and high performance. The production energy consumption is only one-fourth that of traditional cement, and carbon emissions are just one-seventh.
Calculations show that producing one ton of phosphogypsum-based building gypsum powder can save about 190 kilograms of standard coal and reduce carbon emissions by 500 kilograms, achieving both economic and ecological benefits.

02. Phosphogypsum-Based Acid Recycling
In 2024, Phosphorus Chemical Group built the world’s largest phosphogypsum-to-sulfuric-acid and cement co-production facility (the “1468 Project”). The plant consumes 1.4 million tons of phosphogypsum annually, producing 600,000 tons of sulfuric acid and 800,000 tons of cement clinker each year. This process significantly reduces sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions.
With international sulfur prices remaining high, the production of sulfuric acid from phosphogypsum has become more profitable than traditional sulfur-based acid production, further highlighting the industrial and economic value of this technological pathway.

03. Phosphogypsum in Polymer Materials and Municipal Products
Through technological innovation, phosphogypsum can be converted into high-quality anhydrous gypsum, which serves as a sustainable alternative to calcium carbonate, wood, and light steel. It can be used in manufacturing decorative flooring, decorative panels, municipal materials, and pipe profiles. These products feature advantages such as being green and low-carbon, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, highly wear-resistant, fire-retardant, cost-effective, and offering excellent thermal and sound insulation performance.