Major countries in gypsum mine production 2015-2019
In 2019, the world’s largest producer of gypsum from mines was the United States, with a production volume amounting to 20 million metric tons. The next-largest global gypsum producer is a tie between Iran and China, both producing 16 million metric tons that year.
Gypsum
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral, composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. It is used in fertilizer and is the main material used to produce drywall, plaster, as well as blackboard and sidewalk chalk, among other products. It is a common mineral that is found in layers that were formed under salt water millions of years ago.
Gypsum production and resources worldwide
The total global production of gypsum from mines in 2019 amounted to an estimated 140 million metric tons. This quantity is a notable decrease from the 2016 production volume of 261 million metric tons. As the world’s largest producer of gypsum, the U.S. also has the world’s largest reserves of gypsum. In 2019, U.S. gypsum reserves totaled some 700 million metric tons.
