Background

Gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) is a very useful industrial mineral sought mainly for its high sulfur content. An important use of gypsum is in finished Portland cement to prevent flash-setting of concrete and also to establish drying properties in wet environments. Other uses include drywall (plasterboard), fertilizers and soil conditioners. Whether at the quarry, cement plant or industrial manufacturing site, the sulfur content of the gypsum as it processed needs to be closely monitored to ensure the quality and proper formulations of the products. To meet the industry needs, Rigaku offers NEX QC — a simple and versatile benchtop EDXRF analyzer for the analysis of sulfur in gypsum.