Producers and suppliers in the cement trade have been hit hard over the last year. The cost of raw material, electricity and fuel has soared. One company reported gypsum prices as increasing by 60% in the first half of 2021.
Enter Calcium Solutions. Their Calcium-based Mineral Purification (CMP) process works on a wide range of calcium-based minerals – even low grade and waste feedstock such as phosphogypsum – releasing the contaminants (chlorides, sulphates and alkalis) to produce a clean gypsum product which meets the industries’ needs.
Countries like India are likely to benefit from the CMP process. Without local supplies of natural gypsum, they must import gypsum from far afield at a high cost. Using the CMP process, waste phosphogypsum or other industrial waste with a calcium content of 35% or more can be used instead.
Stephen Armstrong Director Engineering at Calcium Solutions, said, “The cement manufactures are keen to see the CMP technology developed, as they have serious concerns about the current gypsum supply pressures and increases in raw material costs”.
“It doesn’t just make economic sense,” added Stephen, “it makes environmental sense as well as it avoids the need to transport the gypsum from halfway across the world and would reduce the size and number potentially harmful phosphogypsum and other waste stacks”.
The CMP process has been tested independently. However, to move forward with accreditation, Calcium Solutions plans to build a pilot plant to process of around 1,000kg of final gypsum. The pilot plant will take up to 12 months to complete.
Calcium Solutions plans to licence the technology, either as a standalone plant or integrated into cement and other producers own plant.
Gypsum is a mineral. It is an indispensable component of cement and controls the rate of hardening of the cement. If it was not added, the cement would set immediately after mixing with water leaving no time for placing the concrete. Gypsum is called the retarding agent of cement which is mainly used for regulating the setting time of cement and is an indispensable component.
Companies interested in testing their gypsum, chalk or other calcium-feedstock should contact Calcium Solutions at info@calciumsolutions.com to find out more.
Comments