Closing the upcoming EU gypsum gap with phosphogypsum
Haneklaus, N.; Barbossa, S.; Basallote, M.D.; Bertau, M.; Bilal, E.; Chajduk, E.; Chernysh, Y.; Chubur, V.; Cruz, J.; Dziarczykowski, K.; Fröhlich, P.; Grosseau, P.; Mazouz, H.; Kiegiel, K.; Nieto, J.M.; Pavón, S.; Pessanha, S.; Pryzowicz, A.; Roubík, H.; Cánovas, C.R.; Schmidt, H.; Seeling, R.; Zakrzewska-Kołtuniewicz, G.
Published in Resources, Conservation and Recyling, July 2022, volume 182, 106328
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- 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.