CBRI DEVELOPS A BENEFICIATION PLANT FOR WASTE PHOSPHOGYPSUM

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The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, has developed a pilot plant for the beneficiation of waste phosphogypsum. The plant with one tonne per shift capacity, designed by the CBRI is installed at its R&D establishment. Phosphogypsum is an important by-product of phosphoric acid industry and is one of the various waste materials produced in huge quantities in India. Its availability extends to about 6 million tonnes per annum causing a serious problem of disposal and health hazard.

At present 10 percent of this material is used in the manufacture of ammonium sulphate fertilizer, cement and soil-reclamation. It contains impurities which hamper normal setting and strength development of cement and plaster produced from it. It has therefore become essential to beneficiate phosphogypsum to get gypsum of acceptable properties for use in plaster and other value-added products. The plant has a high techno-economic viability.

Utilisation of waste materials is a major problem faced by developed as well as developing countries. In India over 150 million tonnes of these materials are produced in various agro-industrial and other plants every year. The scope of utilisation of these materials is limited due to the presence of certain obnoxious impurities. However, the gypsum produced in this phosphogypsum beneficiation plant has enhanced purity level.