Gypsum industry news

US: From the start of 2013 Progress Energy Florida has contracted to sell its entire output of synthetic gypsum produced at its Crystal River Energy Complex in Florida to United States Gypsum (USG).

Crystal River 4 and Crystal River 5, the two newest coat burners at the energy complex, produce 450,000t/yr of synthetic gypsum. Scrubbers were added to Crystal River plants 4 and 5 in 2009 and early 2010. Currently the byproduct is sold for use in making wallboard, cement and fertiliser.

A conveyor belt will be constructed to move the material from the Crystal River power complex to USG's adjacent property. USG purchased the 72ha site in 2011. It announced at the time it would be a storage facility to warehouse synthetic gypsum from the power plants.

Spokesman Scott Sutton from Duke Energy, owner of Progress Energy, emphasised that contract is for USG to take the synthetic gypsum to their property and store it until they ship it or use it. "One customer will remove it all; if we produce more they will have to take it and we have to produce a certain amount. It is a good deal for both of us."

"It is still pretty early in the process yet," said USG spokesman Bob Williams, referring to the plans for the Crystal River property. "It has gone beyond the design stage but construction has not started yet. It is not expected to be complete until sometime in 2013." He added that Crystal River will only be a transfer site and USG has no near-term plans to build a manufacturing plant at the site.