GYPSUM (Data in thousand metric tons, unless noted) Domestic Production and Use: In 1995, output of crude gypsum was 17 million tons valued at $116 million. Leading States were Oklahoma, Iowa, Texas, Michigan, Nevada, California, and Indiana, which together accounted for 75% of total output. Thirty-one companies mined crude gypsum at 58 mines in 19 States, and 14 companies calcined gypsum at 73 plants in 27 States. Of the total supply of crude gypsum (25.9 million tons, including 1.1 million tons of byproduct gypsum), 20.0 million tons was calcined for gypsum products, and 6.0 million tons was used mainly as cement retarder or as agricultural land plaster. Calcined gypsum was sold as prefabricated product or as industrial or building plaster. Sales of gypsum for use in cement were 3.5 million tons and for agriculture and other uses, 2.5 million tons. Available capacity of operating gypsumboard plants in the United States at yearend 1995 was 24.6 billion square feet per year. Sales of gypsumboard products were 23.5 billion square feet, which represented a capacity utilization of 96%. Salient Statistics--United States: 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995e/ Production: Crude 14,000 14,800 15,800 17,200 17,300 Byproduct 618 630 846 950 1,100 Calcined 13,900 15,100 15,200 16,700 17,000 Prefabricated products (million square feet) 17,600 19,200 21,400 23,200 23,500 Imports, crude, including anhydrite 6,930 7,180 7,390 8,470 8,000 Exports, crude, not ground or calcined 67 98 69 89 110 Consumption, crude, apparent1/ 21,100 22,300 24,000 26,200 25,900 Price: Average crude, f.o.b. mine, dollars per ton 6.72 6.82 6.74 6.70 6.80 Average calcined, f.o.b. plant, dollars per ton 17.27 16.58 17.88 17.23 18.00 Stocks, producer, crude, yearend 2,020 2,350 2,320 2,600 2,700 Employment, mine and calcining plant 6,800 6,700 6,700 6,700 6,700 Net import reliance2/ as a percent of apparent consumption 31 31 31 30 30 Recycling: A relatively small amount of byproduct gypsum generated in flue gas desulfurization, phosphate rock acidulation, and other chemical processes is used for agricultural and wallboard purposes. Import Sources (1991-94): Canada, 69%; Mexico, 22%; Spain, 5%; and other, 4%. Tariff: Item Number Most favored nation (MFN) Non-MFN3/ 12/31/95 12/31/95 Gypsum; anhydrite 2520.10.0000 Free Free. Depletion Allowance: 14% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign). Government Stockpile: None. Prepared by Gypsum Specialist (703) 648-7721. GYPSUM Events, Trends, and Issues: Sales of gypsum products increased for the fourth consecutive year, but remained slightly below the record highs of 1989. Increased demand and rising wallboard prices improved the financial position of most of the companies. In 1995, the gypsum wallboard industry shipped 23.5 billion square feet. Imports of wallboard, principally from Canada, were 570 million square feet. Wallboard exports to 60 different countries were 100 million square feet. As long as the cost of land for solid waste disposal continues to be economical and solid waste pollution remains noncritical, only a small amount of the potentially useful byproduct gypsum scrubbed from powerplant stack gases and produced by chemical plants will be used. Several plants mix small amounts of byproduct gypsum into their wallboard products. World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base: Mine production Reserves4/ Reserve base4/ 1994 1995e/ United States 17,200 17,300 700,000 Large Australia 2,000 2,100 Canada 8,500 8,500 450,000 Large China 10,500 11,000 Egypt 1,200 1,200 France 5,000 5,000 India 1,900 1,900 Iran 8,430 8,500 Italy 1,200 1,200 Reserves and reserve Japan 5,300 5,300 base are large in major Mexico 5,530 5,500 producing countries, but Poland 830 800 data are not available. Spain 7,250 7,500 Thailand 8,140 8,000 United Kingdom 2,500 2,800 Other countries 15,500 16,000 World total (rounded) 101,000 103,000 Large Large World Resources: Domestic resources are adequate, but are unevenly distributed. There are no gypsum deposits on the eastern seaboard of the United States, and large imports from Canada augment the domestic supply of crude ore in these industrial areas. Large deposits occur in the Great Lakes region, midcontinent region, California, and other States. Foreign resources are adequate, but are not evenly distributed. Substitutes: Other construction materials may be substituted for gypsum, especially cement, lime, lumber, masonry, and steel. There is no practical substitute for gypsum in portland cement. Byproduct gypsum now substitutes for crude gypsum in special agricultural applications, and it is beginning to be utilized in place of crude gypsum for cement set-retarding and manufacturing wallboard. e/Estimated. 1/Defined as crude + byproduct + net import reliance. 2/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. 3/See Appendix B. 4/See Appendix C for definitions. Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996