Egypt Gypsum & Plaster
Egypt gypsum & plaster of Paris market: natural raw gypsum (HS 2520.10), calcined plaster (HS 2520.20), gypsum-board and fertilizer grades from Sinai & the Western Desert. Bulk FOB Ain Sokhna, vessel or bagged — export pricing and procurement notes.
Egypt's gypsum reserves
Egypt is one of the world's five largest gypsum exporters by value — US$64.3 million of gypsum and anhydrite in 2024, fifth in the world (HS 2520.10, UN Comtrade via World Bank WITS). No public source gives a reliable national reserve figure, so none is quoted here. Main deposit zones:
Egyptian gypsum is geologically Eocene-to-Quaternary marine evaporite — commercial grades typically run 90–97 % CaSO₄·2H₂O, with low chloride and low organic matter. The figure that counts is the one on the lot's Certificate of Analysis.
Market at a glance
| Metric | Value | Source / year |
|---|---|---|
| Gypsum and anhydrite exports, 2024 | US$64.3 million — 5th in the world by value (Oman first, Spain second) | World Bank WITS, HS 2520.10 |
| Deposit zones | Sinai (Ras Malaab, Ras Sudr, Wadi El-Sheikh) · Western Desert · Red Sea coast (Gulf of Suez) · El-Fayoum / Beni Suef | Geological literature; EGG sourcing |
| Raw gypsum assay | CaSO₄·2H₂O 90–97 % raw, often 95 %+; low chloride, low organics | Typical commercial grade — the lot value is on the CoA |
| Gypsum-board grade | ≥ 92 % CaSO₄·2H₂O, low SiO₂, crushed 0–40 mm | Typical commercial grade — the lot value is on the CoA |
| Plaster of Paris assay | CaSO₄·½H₂O ≥ 75 %, free water ≤ 0.5 %, initial set 4–10 min | Typical commercial grade — the lot value is on the CoA |
| Fertilizer grade | S ≥ 18 %, Ca ≥ 22 %, granulated | Typical commercial grade — the lot value is on the CoA |
| HS codes | 2520.10 raw · 2520.20 calcined · 3105.90 fertilizer-grade variant | HS nomenclature — HS 2520 reference |
| MOQ | 25 MT (1×20' FCL) or 5,000 MT bulk vessel | EGG trade desk, 2026 |
| Cheapest bulk lane | Ain Sokhna — Sinai deposits within 100 km | EGG trade desk, 2026 |
| Largest markets, 2024 | Nigeria US$34.0 M · Ghana US$14.0 M · India US$3.4 M · China US$1.8 M · Côte d'Ivoire US$1.5 M · Senegal US$1.4 M | World Bank WITS, HS 2520.10 |
Product forms we export
1. Raw natural gypsum rock — HS 2520.10
- Lumps: 0–300 mm typical
- Crushed: 0–40 mm
- Granulated: 0–5 mm
- Powder: 0–200 mesh
- Typical assay: CaSO₄·2H₂O ≥ 90%, often 95%+
- MOQ: 25 MT (1×20' FCL with stillage) or 5,000 MT bulk vessel
- Primary use: cement industry (5% gypsum addition to control set time), fertilizer (sulfur source for soil)
2. Calcined gypsum / Plaster of Paris (CaSO₄·½H₂O) — HS 2520.20
- White powder, 80–200 mesh fineness
- Typical assay: CaSO₄·½H₂O ≥ 75%, free water ≤ 0.5%, initial set 4–10 min
- Packing: 25 kg PP bags, 1 MT FIBC, 40 kg multi-wall paper sacks
- MOQ: 25 MT FCL
- Primary use: construction plaster, decorative casting, dental/orthopedic (with food + medical grade)
3. Gypsum board grade gypsum — HS 2520.10
- For drywall / plasterboard manufacturing
- Higher purity required (≥ 92% CaSO₄·2H₂O), low SiO₂
- Typically supplied as crushed 0–40 mm
4. Fertilizer-grade gypsum — HS 2520.10 / 3105.90
- Granulated for direct soil application
- Sulfur content (S) ≥ 18%, calcium (Ca) ≥ 22%
- Used in saline / sodic soil reclamation, peanut + alfalfa fields
Supply options from EGG
| Product | Grade / spec headline | Standard | MOQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw gypsum rock | CaSO₄·2H₂O ≥ 85 % guaranteed floor (typically 90–97 %), Sinai origin, lump / crushed / granulated / powder | ISO 9001, SGS, CoA per lot | 1,000 MT |
| Calcined gypsum — plaster of Paris | ≥ 90 % hemihydrate, 80–200 mesh, 25 kg / 40 kg bags, 1 MT FIBC | ISO 9001, SGS, CoA per lot | 1,000 MT |
| Gypsum catalogue | Raw rock + calcined plaster | HS 2520.10 / 2520.20 | 25 MT FCL |
| Limestone CaCO₃ 95 % · dolomite | Companion cement and flux minerals | ISO 9001, SGS | 1,000 MT |
| Cement & clinker · construction applications | Gypsum as set retarder | EN 197-1 | 3,000–5,000 MT |
| Sulphur granular 99.9 % | Alternative sulphur source for soils | ISO 9001, SGS | 500 MT |
Loading ports for gypsum + plaster
Sinai-sourced gypsum loads at Adabiya, Suez, Ain Sokhna (Red Sea Gulf of Suez side, closest to the deposits). Western Desert gypsum loads at Damietta, Alexandria, El Dekheila. For most bulk-vessel shipments to GCC, India, East Africa — Ain Sokhna is the cheapest because the Sinai deposits are within 100 km.
Key destination markets
Customs data for 2024 (UN Comtrade via World Bank WITS, HS 2520.10) puts Egypt's gypsum trade firmly in West Africa:
West Africa is also where Egyptian gypsum meets Spanish gypsum head to head — see Egyptian vs Spanish gypsum. WITS reports Egypt's exports by value, not tonnage.
Sources
- World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade) — gypsum and anhydrite exports by country, HS 252010, 2024 and Egypt's exports by destination
How Egypt Globe Group handles gypsum trade
We source from multiple Egyptian quarries and consolidate shipments at the loading port. Quality testing (XRF or wet chemistry) at the load port confirms CaSO₄·2H₂O purity before B/L issuance.
QA and reliability
Egypt Globe Group positions itself as your verified, long-term supply-chain ally: incorporated 2014 with an internal Quality Assurance division at its nucleus, ISO 9001:2015 across all divisions, and uncompromising QA verification from extraction to destination port. Every lot is tested at the loading-port laboratory and the Certificate of Analysis or Mill Test Certificate is issued before the Bill of Lading; lots outside specification are rejected at the loading port, never re-graded or renegotiated. Independent inspection by TÜV Austria, SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas (all ISO/IEC 17020 + 17025) is available on every shipment, laycans are run with documented NOR / SOF, and the specification is guaranteed at the port of loading under the sales contract — see inspection & quality control, trade documentation and quality & compliance. For gypsum the chain runs quarry face → crushing / calcining plant → port laboratory XRF or wet-chemistry assay (CaSO₄·2H₂O, moisture, free silica, NaCl, MgO) → pre-shipment inspection → buyer laboratory; the assay report confirming purity and end-use suitability is issued before B/L.
Sourcing gypsum or plaster from Egypt?
Raw gypsum rock, CaSO₄·2H₂O ≥ 85 % guaranteed floor and typically 90–97 %, in lump, crushed, granulated or powder form, and calcined plaster of Paris, ≥ 90 % hemihydrate at 80–200 mesh, are both in the gypsum catalogue.
For a buyer comparing the two Mediterranean origins, Egyptian vs Spanish gypsum sets out purity, ports, markets and terms side by side.
Ready for a quote?
FOB / CIF / CFR pricing from 7 Egyptian ports — turnaround once stock, laycan and freight are confirmed.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the HS code for Egyptian gypsum and plaster?
Where is gypsum mined in Egypt?
What grades of Egyptian gypsum are exported?
How is Egyptian gypsum shipped and what is the minimum order?
Which countries buy Egyptian gypsum?
Other questions? Email our export desk — the export desk replies to every request.