Study of China’s Phosphogypsum Market

Eurasia Development: China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of phosphogypsum; its utilization rate increased to 50.4% in 2022.

The accumulation of coal ash and slag waste poses a serious environmental problem requiring the development of effective recycling technologies.

The study analyzes trends in phosphogypsum production and comprehensive utilization from 2015 to 2022, assesses regional characteristics, and examines its key applications across various sectors of the economy.

Key Findings

• China’s phosphogypsum production remains stable at 75–80 million tonnes per year; the utilization rate increased from 33.3% in 2015 to 50.4% in 2022.
• China accounts for 4.8% of global phosphate reserves — approximately 80 million tonnes — determining the potential for associated phosphogypsum production.
• Main areas of utilization: construction materials — approximately 75%, exports — 18.4%, chemical industry — 3.2%, and agriculture — 1.9%.
• The leading provinces in production and processing are Hubei, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Anhui, which together account for approximately 85% of total industry output.

Market Drivers

Tighter environmental requirements and government circular economy programs are stimulating the construction of phosphogypsum recycling plants and the adoption of “waste-to-product” technologies in the construction and chemical sectors.

What This Means for Russian Players

• Import of equipment and technologies for processing phosphogypsum into construction materials and specialized products.
• Engineering services for developing closed-loop production chains in industrial parks.
• Joint ventures and technology licensing for the production of phosphogypsum-based gypsum binders.

Expert Comment
“China has achieved impressive results in the comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum, and our experience shows that Russian companies are ready to adopt these advanced practices to address environmental and production challenges,” says Konstantin Matveenkov, Head of Analytics at Eurasia Development Group.