Major countries in gypsum mine production 2023

In 2023, the world’s largest producer of gypsum from mines was the United States, with a production volume amounting to 22 million metric tons. The next-largest global gypsum producer was Iran, 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 2022 amounted to an estimated 150 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 2022, U.S. gypsum reserves totaled some 700 million metric tons.