5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs Gypsum powder manufacturing plant？

Gypsum is an extremely useful mineral that occurs naturally in nature. Formed between layers of sedimentary rocks, it is a soft (so easy to scratch), chalky rock that appears almost white. The impurities embedded in gypsum may give it gray to a yellowish color. In terms of its chemical composition, it consists of calcium sulfate (CaSO₄) combined with 2 molecules of water (H₂O). It is also known as calcium sulfate hydrate.

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Chemical Formula Of Gypsum

The main components of gypsum are calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), oxygen (O₂), and hydrogen (H). Calcium and sulfur combine to form calcium sulfate, and hydrogen and oxygen together form water. So its chemical formula is:

Gypsum → CaSO₄ + 2(H₂O)

Forming Of Gypsum

In order to form gypsum, only two things need to be there:

1. The right combination of minerals.
2. Occurrence of evaporation.

Therefore, gypsum can form in shallow sea basins, tidal flats, lagoons, hot springs, coastlines, desert water tables, deltas, volcanic areas, and even roots of plants. 

During prehistoric times, sedimentary gypsum beds were formed. As the ancient tropic seas became more and more concentrated due to evaporation, it triggered the formation of massive gypsum deposits. Gypsum crystals were formed in the mineral-saturated sea water and sank to the bottom of the ocean. However, its formation did not stop there. Indeed, it continues. Crystals of gypsum are formed when due to evaporation of water, the minerals crystallize. Gypsum is also produced as a by-product of scrubbing sulfur from fossil fuels.

The Process Of Gypsum Production

Gypsum ore is dug out from quarries and mines. It is crushed and stored close to the plant. As per the requirement, the stored ore is further ground and screened to approximately a size of 2 inches or 50 mm diameter. In case the mined ore has a high moisture content (more than 0.5% of weight), it is sent to a rotary dryer for further drying. The ore dried in this manner is sent to a roller mill where it is crushed to the extent that 90% of it is less than 149 µm or micrometers. The ground gypsum comes out of the mill in a gas stream. It is then collected in a product cyclone. Sometimes the ore is dried inside the roller mill by heating the gas stream. Essentially it means a rotary dryer is not a must-have as drying and crushing can be completed simultaneously. The resultant fine gypsum ore is called land plaster.

Five Stages Of Gypsum Production Process

Gypsum production can be labor intensive or highly mechanized. Small plants can produce a few tonnes daily with manual technologies, and large-scale operations can support thousands of tonnes daily with sophisticated equipment. Nevertheless, they all go through the same basic 5 steps or stages. These are:

1. Excavation – The very first step involves bringing the mineral ore to the surface. This is possible only through digging or excavation. It begins by scouting the area where there could be a possibility of gypsum deposits. They are located using open-cast or open-pit techniques. In this technique, the overlying strata are removed, the ore extracted, and then the removed strata are replaced. If the deposits are deep inside the Earth, shaft mines or drifts may be required. Sturdy machines are used for drilling and digging out the gypsum ore.

2. Crushing – Crushing the mined ore makes it easy to handle and process further. The small-sized grains of gypsum can be heated efficiently if their size is manageable. The same task will become troublesome if the ore is heated without breaking it down. Furthermore, it will result in uneven heating and consequently questionable removal of moisture. The aim of crushing is to ensure that the crystal of gypsum is just a few millimeters in size. This task is accomplished using a jaw crusher. It breaks enormous chunks of the ore into much smaller pieces. If more refined results are called for, cone crusher and impact crusher may also be put to use.

3. Sieving – This is one of the more uncomplicated steps where the large grains of gypsum are separated from the finely ground ones through sieving. It is also a necessary stage as large uncrushed ore chunks may have impurities that may impact the overall quality of gypsum. Separating the large chunks allows one to send them through the crusher again, thereby maintaining the quality of the end product.

4. Grinding – For some applications, breaking the gypsum ore into much more refined pieces is necessary. If the gypsum is for any such high-quality application as plaster for molding or industrial work, it requires further grinding. Typically, one can do this easily in a rod, hammer, or ball mill. It can also be pulverized in agricultural mills as gypsum is relatively soft.

5. Heating – The final stage is heating or calcining. It is necessary to get rid of the excess moisture present in the gypsum grains. Depending on the cost and level of production, one can apply a range of technologies for heating. Mainly, a rotary dryer helps eliminate the excess moisture, and a cyclone collector gathers the resultant gypsum powder for final use.

Takeaway

The raw material for making gypsum powder is natural gypsum ore, and there is always demand for it as it is an essential element in many applications. Hence, it is difficult to do away with. Unfortunately, it is not available on the immediate surface of the Earth. As a result, one needs to not just scout for the perfect location of the deposits but also dig deep to reach them. Once you reach the gypsum bed, the ore needs to be brought to the surface for processing. Processing the ore is necessary as it cannot be used in its natural form due to the presence of impurities. Thankfully, the next steps are much easier as they require crushing, sieving, grinding, and heating the ore. The result is high-quality gypsum that is used in the making of Portland Cement, fertilizers, molding plaster, plaster for medical purposes, sculptures, gypsum wallboard, and many such things.

Gypsum is a common mineral, primarily composed of calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O). Due to its excellent fire resistance, soundproofing, and humidity regulation properties, gypsum is widely used to make products like gypsum boards, gypsum powder, plaster bandages, and fertilizers.

Common gypsum products are typically made from gypsum rock, which is crushed and ground into gypsum powder of varying fineness to meet the needs of industries such as construction, healthcare, and agriculture.

The gypsum powder processing plant

Gypsum powder production lines take natural raw gypsum (dihydrate gypsum) and transform it into various types of gypsum powder, such as construction gypsum powder and hard gypsum powder, through processes like crushing, grinding, and calcination.

Complete gypsum grinding process flow:

1. 1 Gypsum ore is processed by jaw crushers and hammer crushers to reduce the particle size to below 25 mm.
2. 2 Next, different types of grinding mills are used for fine grinding.
3. 3 After classification by a powder selector, the qualified powder is collected by a cyclone collector and sent to a rotary kiln for calcination.
4. 4 At around 150°C, mature gypsum is formed, and when heated above 170°C, hard gypsum is produced.
5. 5 Finally, the gypsum powder is cooled and packaged for sale.

The production line is equipped with a pulse-jet dust collector, designed to capture dust and impurities, improving the cleanliness of the work environment.

This equipment not only protects worker health but also ensures the high quality of the gypsum powder, meeting the needs of manufacturers in construction materials, wallboard production, and fertilizers.

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Gypsum powder mills

Grinding mills are the core of the entire production line, directly affecting the fineness and quality of gypsum powder.

Appropriate grinding equipment must be selected during the gypsum grinding stage, depending on production needs and finished product requirements.

Common gypsum powder grinding mills include Raymond mills, ultrafine mills, and vertical roller mills:

1. Raymond mill Get the Latest Price

Raymond mill is the traditional equipment for grinding gypsum, suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The grinding process is completed by squeezing and grinding with rollers and rings, making it ideal for processing gypsum with moisture content below 6%.

Why choose FTM Machinery's Raymond mill?

2. Ultrafine mill Get the Latest Price

As an advanced grinding mill combining crushing, grading, and static pressure, the ultrafine mill excels in both fineness and environmental performance.

It is mainly used to produce ultrafine gypsum powder or micron-level particles, and is widely used in industries requiring high-fineness powders, such as chemicals, coatings, and plastics.

Specifications:

• Input size: <40 mm
• Output capacity: 0.4–40 t/h
• Output fineness: 60–800 mesh (0.25 mm–0.015 mm)

The ultrafine mill is an upgraded version of the Raymond mill, with a more attractive appearance. It uses a cage-type classifier for low noise, low vibration, and excellent sealing.

Compared to the standard motor used in Raymond mills, the ultrafine mill is equipped with a variable-speed motor and an arc-shaped air duct design, reducing air resistance and increasing efficiency.

Benefits of the Ultrafine Mill:

• Superfine results: Achieves particle sizes beyond what other grinders can reach, tightly controlling gypsum particle size distribution and increasing surface area.
• Low maintenance costs: With segmented rollers and specially designed wear-resistant shovel heads, the replacement cost of wear parts is reduced by over 50%.
• High powder collection rate: Equipped with a larger cyclone powder collector and roller-linked pressure boosting technology, combined with an air-lock feeder, greatly improving powder collection rate.
• Low risk of contamination: Multi-level dust sealing ensures that gypsum powder is not contaminated by internal machine parts.

3. Vertical roller mill Get the Latest Price

The vertical roller mill, known for its high production efficiency and ability to integrate crushing, drying, grinding, grading, and conveying, has become the preferred equipment for large-scale gypsum powder production.

Key features of the vertical roller mill:

• Large feed size: Gypsum ≤55 mm can enter the system directly, eliminating secondary crushing and simplifying the process.
• High capacity: The production capacity can reach 420 t/h.
• Wide output range: Output fineness adjustable between 14 mesh and mesh.

The vertical roller mill also has strong drying capabilities, with a hot air furnace providing 450°C air to effectively dry materials with up to 15% moisture content. Additionally, it consumes 30%–50% less energy than traditional ball mills.

This machine features a dynamic classifier that removes fine powders in time, reducing over-grinding and making the material easier to calcine. Moreover, the vertical roller mill occupies about 50% of the space of a ball mill, with infrastructure investment only 70% of a ball mill system.

Customer case: 300 tons per day gypsum powder production (Thailand)

Thailand is rich in gypsum mineral resources. As the construction market in Southeast Asia rapidly expands, a leading gypsum producer in Thailand approached FTM Machinery for help in upgrading their equipment to increase gypsum powder production.

Goals:

• Achieve a daily output of 300 tons of high-quality gypsum powder.
• Reduce production costs and improve energy efficiency.
• Ensure product quality while minimizing environmental pollution.

Solution:

FTM Machinery designed and installed a gypsum powder production line for the producer, including a high-efficiency PC ×800 hammer crusher, two Raymond mills, a vibrating screen, belt conveyors, a bag dust collector, an automatic packaging machine, and a centralized control system.

Project results:

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• Production achieved: Successfully met the goal of producing 300 tons of gypsum powder per day.
• Cost reduction: Optimizing equipment configuration and process flow reduced overall production costs by 20%.
• Energy efficiency: Energy consumption decreased by 30% compared to traditional production lines.
• Environmental compliance: The production process fully complied with Thailand's environmental regulations, ensuring sustainable production.