Producers mined 5.51 million metric tons (Mt) of gypsum during the second quarter of 2023. That was 3% more than the first quarter of 2023 and essentially unchanged from the amount of the second quarter of 2022.
Synthetic gypsum utilized was estimated to be 3.63 Mt in the second quarter of 2023, which was unchanged from those in the first quarter of 2023 and the second quarter of 2022. During the second quarter of 2023, synthetic gypsum accounted for approximately 32% of the 11.3- Mt total supply of gypsum in the United States.
Both mined and synthetic gypsum are used as raw material for wallboard. The wallboard industry is the leading domestic consumer of gypsum. Calcined gypsum production during the second quarter of 2023 was 4.79 Mt, which was slightly more than that of the first quarter of 2023 and essentially unchanged from the second quarter of 2022 .
Sales of board products were 3.96 Mt, equivalent to approximately 635 million sq. meters (6.85 billion sq. ft.), slightly more than those of the first quarter of 2023, and 5% less than those of the second quarter of 2022.
Sales of uncalcined gypsum in the second quarter of 2023, primarily for portland cement and agricultural uses, were estimated to be 4.95 Mt, essentially unchanged from those of the first quarter of 2023 and unchanged from those of the second quarter of 2022.
The occurrence of quarterly fluctuations is not unusual in the production and consumption of gypsum, synthetic gypsum, and calcined gypsum. These variances are often the result of differences in weather conditions, which can impede or encourage construction activities, coupled with market demands that are often driven by residential and commercial building activity.