The comprehensive utilization level of phosphogypsum in our country is steadily improving

Thread Content

From the Phosphorus Fertilizer/Phosphorus Chemicals Industry Innovation and Development Conference and the 4th Symposium on the Comprehensive Utilization of Phosphogypsum, held in Wuhan, Hubei from June 19–20, it was reported that the level of comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum in China has been improving steadily in recent years. 　　Data shows that in 2024, the comprehensive utilization volume of phosphogypsum in China was 53 million tons, representing a 55.9% increase compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period ； In 2024, the comprehensive utilization rate of phosphogypsum in China increased to 61.6%; Hubei Province, being the largest province in the phosphorus chemicals industry, achieved a comprehensive utilization rate of 69.53% for phosphogypsum. 　　“As an important solid waste in the phosphorus chemical industry, the reduction of its generation at the source and its comprehensive utilization are of great significance for ensuring the green development of the phosphorus chemical industry, food security, and the new energy vehicle industry. ”Du Li from the Resource Comprehensive Utilization Section of the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said. 　　It is worth noting that the generation of phosphogypsum in China exhibits distinct regional patterns – of the 86 million tons of phosphogypsum produced nationwide in 2024, 70% was generated in regions such as Hubei, Yunnan, and Guizhou, with Hubei becoming the key area for addressing this issue. 　　Liu Weijun, a member of the Party leadership group and deputy director of the Hubei Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology, said that Hubei has introduced the country’s first local regulation for the targeted prevention and control of phosphogypsum pollution, namely the \"Regulations on the Prevention and Control of Phosphogypsum Pollution in Hubei Province\". The province has established the largest in the country base for food-grade, pharmaceutical-grade, and electronic-grade phosphorus chemical materials, achieving domestic substitution for these products. Additionally, 39 production lines for the harmless treatment of phosphogypsum have been built, with an annual processing capacity of 36.85 million tons; the rate of harmless treatment reaches 75.7%. 　　Regarding these achievements, Li Guang, Secretary-General of the China Phosphorus Fertilizer Industry Association, analyzed that the declining grade of phosphorus ores in China has led to a persistent tight supply-demand balance. Coupled with the surge in demand for high-end applications such as new energy batteries and electronic-grade phosphoric acid, this situation is pushing the industry chain toward greater sophistication and lower carbon emissions. 　　The reporter learned that although certain progress has been made in the comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum in our country, two major challenges remain in the future: first, due to high costs associated with purification and transportation, as well as the lack of appropriate construction techniques, phosphogypsum-based building materials have weak market competitiveness ； Secondly, the large-scale application is also restricted due to imperfect technical standards in areas such as ecological restoration and road traffic. 　　Fortunately, China Five Rings Engineering Co., Ltd., as one of the leaders in the field of phosphogypsum management, has developed systematic solutions that serve as a model for breaking through challenges in this industry. The company reduces phosphorus at the source through the semi-hydrate–dihydrate phosphate process, improves the phosphorus recovery rate and achieves its hierarchical utilization via technological upgrades, and simultaneously stabilizes and renders phosphogypsum harmless through proprietary modification technologies. 　　Du Li emphasized that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will further improve the standard system for the comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum, accelerate collaborative innovation across the upstream and downstream stages of the industrial chain, and promote improvements in the level of comprehensive utilization of phosphogypsum. 　　Deng Zhongming, head of the Raw Materials Industry Department at Hubei Province’s Department of Economy and Information Technology, said that in the next step, Hubei Province will promote the green and low-carbon transformation and upgrading of its industries by strengthening resource support, enhancing innovation capabilities, and optimizing the industrial structure.