had a visit from british gypsum last thursday jsut gone, they estimate they have around 20 years of gypsum left in the ground from the uk. but they is a never ended supply of gypsum produced from coal burning power stations, in order to be more "environmentally friendly" the steeam/smoke/pollution goes through big filter systems, kinda like a cat converter on a car... and the by product of this is pure gypsum, which is used solely for the purpose of plasterboards, purely because the gypsum in the ground isnt pure.. and contains many impuritys which makes the plaster we use so workable (clays etc.) and this powerstation gpysum would be unworkable. i raised the question of what will happen when it ran out... the reply was that it would be brought in from overseas.
me: then it would go up in price due to extra transport costs.
BG: yes, but you've had it cheap for a long time and still will for 20 years before that happens.
me: would the pure gypsum produced from power stations be useable for backing and finish plasters?
BG: yes but with many additives to create the same gypsum we get from the ground to acheieve the same results, but would be cheaper to import.
also... each year they produce enough linear meterage of plasterboard to go from the earth, to the moon, back to the earth... and back to the moon again!
