Sustainable raw material supply

At the origin of all plaster products, there is gypsum.

Gypsum is a mineral that occurs naturally in Europe, particularly in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK. Like all natural products, gypsum varies across Europe and is found in different grades of purity.

Etex gypsum quarry in Mazan, the largest open-cast gypsum quarry in France.

Biodiversity in Gypsum Quarries

In Europe, gypsum is mainly extracted in open-pit quarries and, in some cases, mined underground, before being crushed into smaller pieces and largely processed into high-quality building products. The extraction of gypsum involves temporary land use. During and after extraction, species conservation and the restoration of the natural environment play a major role. Eurogypsum’s Biodiversity Contest highlights companies’ commitment to biodiversity in quarries and compensation areas. View the competition photos here and check our best practices in gypsum quarries across Europe here.

Eurogypsum has signed the Extractive Sector Species Protection Code of Conduct with BirdLife Europe & Central Asia, as well as other extractive industries. The Code is endorsed by the European Commission. Find out more here.

Together with the aggregates sector, Eurogypsum has also signed a Letter of Intent with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Merops Apiaster (Europian bee-eater) - these birds are well integrated with mining activities and often set up their nests in quarry material deposit. Roccastrada, Italy. © Davide Bertini

A bee in a renaturated area of a gypsum quarry, Cheia, Romania. © Elena-Teodora Iunian

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Other sources of gypsum

In addition to its natural formation, gypsum can also be produced synthetically. In Europe, synthetic gypsum is mainly produced through flue gas desulphurisation in coal-fired power stations (FGD gypsum). However, due to the energy transition, less and less synthetic gypsum is being produced, meaning that primary gypsum sources are becoming increasingly important. Reliable access to domestic raw materials is therefore essential for an independent and resilient Europe.