Calcite Market Report 2025 (Global Edition)

CURRENT SCENARIO OF THE CALCITE MARKET

Key Factors Driving the Growth of the Calcite Market

• Growing Demand for the Building and Construction Industry propelling global Calcite market growth

The growth in the construction industry is expected to have a high impact on the demand for Calcite in the building materials market. The construction industry is a fundamental driver of the Calcite market due to its extensive reliance on Calcite-derived materials. Calcite, mainly in the form of limestone, in construction applications. Calcite, serving as a vital component in concrete production, plays a dual role as a filler and a source of calcium carbonate. Concrete stands as the fundamental building material, forming the basis of construction endeavors, whether in the erection of buildings, creation of roads, construction of bridges, or execution of diverse infrastructure projects. Calcite, found in limestone, is the primary raw material in cement manufacturing, and as construction activity expands, so does the demand for cement and, consequently, Calcite. Calcite is used to neutralize acidic soils for stable foundations and as a decorative stone in architectural applications.

The construction industry undergoes expansion, propelled by the forces of urbanization and infrastructure development, the appetite for Calcite experiences a significant upswing. Calcite seamlessly integrates itself into the construction sector's supply chain, assuming a pivotal role. To illustrate, consider periods of construction prosperity, such as the emergence of new housing complexes, bustling commercial centers, or the realization of grand-scale infrastructure ventures like airports and highways. During these phases, the hunger for materials derived from Calcite, namely concrete and cement, skyrockets.

Calcite is used in cement additives and accelerators, tile adhesives, and cement-based mortars. The growth in the consumption of cement from the construction industry effectively influences the growth of this market

According to Oxford Economics, the global construction market will be worth US$ 10.7 trillion in 2020, with emerging nations accounting for US$ 5.7 trillion of that total. Between 2020 and 2030, the global construction market is predicted to expand by US$ 4.5 trillion, reaching US$ 15.2 trillion in 2030, with US$ 8.9 trillion in emerging markets.
(Source:https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/future-of-construction/)

Additionally, it is added to cement in the construction industry to speed up setting and boost the toughness of cement-based goods. It is also used for cementing oil drilling and as an inhibitor, PH regulator, and corrosion protection for construction and infrastructure substrates. At the moment, China—which produces and consumes the most cement—uses this mostly for the construction of concrete. 
Therefore, it is anticipated that the worldwide cement market will rise due to the growing demand for cement from the building industry. 

• According to the US Census Bureau, during January 2023, construction spending in the country was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of USD 1,825.7 billion, 0.1 percent (±0.7 percent) below the revised December estimate of USD 1,827.5 billion.
(Source:https://www.census.gov/construction/c30/current/index.html)

The construction industry's expansion is likely to impact Calcite demand in the building materials market significantly. The ongoing development operations in commercial and residential sectors are driving up demand for building materials, boosting the Calcite market.

Cement producers find Calcite favorable compared to alternatives as it is easy to handle and does not interfere with cement chemistry or leave unwanted residues. Owing to massive infrastructure development worldwide, cement demand is witnessing strong growth. This has put pressure on cement players to ramp up dry output consistently to meet construction schedules. Calcite effectively addresses the moisture control needs of large-volume plants. It plays a key role in enabling uninterrupted cement supply to major development projects globally. This drives its increasing consumption patterns in the long run. 

For instance, the World Bank also predicts that global investments in infrastructure will need to increase by around US$ 15 trillion by 2040 to match projected demand.
(Source;https://blogs.worldbank.org/ppps/forecasting-infrastructure-investment-needs-50-countries-7-sectors-through-2040)

Infrastructure development is primarily reliant on government funding globally. The huge investment in infrastructure construction activities has resulted in a major increase in cement production in recent years, further boosting the demand for Calcite on the construction market.

• Burgeoning Demand from Paper Industry to Result in the Expansion of the Market

Calcite made by anaerobic oxidation and stable fractioning of strontium isotopes is used as paper filler in the paper and pulp industry to improve the brightness and opacity of the paper, hence acting as an effective optical brightener. The precipitated calcium carbonate is also used as a white pigment in printing ink. 
The increase in consumption of paper especially in developed nations has positively impacted the demand for calcite in the paper industry. 

Calcite has been witnessing immense reception in paper industry, signifying growth in paper production, and this trend is expected to continue in the forthcoming years as well. Though both Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) and PCC are witnessing traction for the production of paper, PCC continues to be the favored material due to the operational flexibility it renders. The adoption of PCC in papers has enabled enhanced printing surfaces and brighter papers. Improved gloss as well as opacity are key attributes paving way for a wider application scope of PCC in diverse segments.

For instance, as per the 2021 report of the American Forest & Paper Association, U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers increased six percent in May compared to the same month last year, and Uncoated Free Sheet imports and exports both increased compared to April 2020, up 10% and 25% respectively. 
(Source:https://www.afandpa.org/news/2022/american-forest-paper-association-releases-march-2022-printing-writing-monthly-report)

Moreover, as per the China National Bureau of Statistics, paper production in China increased by 8% in 2020 compared to last year.
(Source: https://www.pulpapernews.com/20210119/12160/paper-and-board-production-china-demonstrated-record-highs-end-2020)

Hence, such an increase in the consumption of paper will increase the demand for calcite in the paper industry for paper brightening. This will have a positive impact on the growth rate of the calcite industry 

Key factors hampering the Market growth

• Growing environmental awareness and environmental concerns associated with the mining of calcite to restrain market growth

Effects of calcite mining on the immediate environment have gotten a lot of attention in recent years. According to scientific studies, calcite mining has several environmental consequences, including loss of forest cover, pollution of water, soil and air, reduction in biodiversity, depletion of natural flora and fauna, erosion of soil, changes in the landscape, instability of soil and rock masses and degradation of agricultural land. Regardless of the scale of mining, the extraction of rocks and minerals impacts the environment at various phases of mining, processing and utilization. Forest deforestation, water depletion, pollution of water, soil and air, loss of flora and fauna, decrease in biodiversity, deterioration of soil, the flux of soil and rock masses, transitions in the landscape and degradation of agricultural land are just a few of the obvious environmental consequences of mining. 

The severity of environmental problems varies on the extent of mining and the ecological sensitivity of the mining site. Impacts include lowering water tables, habitat destruction, encroachment of waste into agricultural land, destruction of buildings due to cracks, pollution of rivers, loss of biodiversity, destruction of crops, polluted rainwater harvested from roofs and health-related problems, including inhalation of dust resulting in respiratory tract infections.

For instance, in the Igara region of Edo state, Nigeria, calcite and dolomite mining has resulted in many environmental issues, including landscape loss, natural drainage damage, pollution and habitat destruction. As per the research article published by Saliu, Muyideen Alade and Shehu, Shaib Abdulazeez, Department of Mining Engineering, The Federal University Technology, Akure Ondo State, Nigeria to evaluate the water and soil quality in Ikpeshi, Edo State, reveals that the total alkalinity levels in water are less than the allowed limit of 200 mg/l. 

Furthermore, the chloride levels range from 311.6 to 399.4, higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) drinking water limit of 250 mg/l. The soil studies show that phosphorus value in the region ranges from 14.1 to 22.3 mg/kg, which is greater than the FAO permissible limit of 7.0 mg/kg.

(Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334286193_Effects_of_Calcite_and_Dolomite_Mining_on_Water_and_Soil_Qualities_A_case_study_of_Freedom_Group_of_Companies_Ikpeshi_Edo_State_Nigeria)

As a result, the environmental consequences associated with the mining of calcite and growing environmental awareness are a major restraint to the respective market's growth. 

Opportunity

• Development of new products and  incorporate innovation in manufacturing processes is expected to fuel the growth in the market 

The rigorous competition in calcite market is prompting calcite manufacturers to incorporate innovation in manufacturing processes in order to move ahead of the competition. To capitalize on the growing demand for calcite from wide end-use industries, several leading players in calcite market are deploying numerous market strategies, such as new product lines, collaborations, innovative product development, partnerships, acquisitions, and expansion of existing facilities. 

The calcite market is saturated with numerous domestic players, which has been posing a threat to the leading market players. To counter this, leading calcite manufacturers are increasingly focusing on entering into long-term tie-ups with end-user industries. In recent times, leading market players have been focusing on leveraging emerging opportunities in ASEAN, India, and China to expand their foothold in calcite market. 

One of key strategies deployed by calcite market players is the establishment of on-site production facilities to offer superior Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) to paper mills. The growing number of smart initiatives by manufacturers, coupled with rising domestic players in calcite market are likely to make calcite market highly competitive in upcoming years. 

For example, Huber Engineered Materials (HEM), a subsidiary of the J.M. Huber Corporation, is purchasing agrichemical manufacturing company, Miller Chemical & Fertilizer LLC, from investment company, Dunes Point Capital LP. The Miller acquisition will accelerate HEM’s mission to create a diverse portfolio of competitively advantaged small to medium businesses in chemical and mineral markets. 
(Source: https://www.huber.com/about/news/news-and-press/huber-acquires-miller-chemical-fertilizer-llc/)

How did COVID–19 Impact the Calcite Market?

COVID-19 left a negative impact on the major end-users of calcite such as the construction, paper, plastic, paints & coatings sector. Necessary measures are taken by countries like nationwide lockdown, regulation on public movement, and restriction on import/exports led to lack of availability of labor force and raw material supplies in these sectors. Hence, this disrupted the functionality of these sectors and decreased their productivity. 

For instance, as per the 2021 report of the Confederation of European Paper Industries, the production of graphical grades in newsprint and commercial printing declined 19% in 2020. 
(Source:https://www.cepi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Key-Statistics-2021-Final.pdf)

Also, as per PlasticEurope, in 2020, the production of new plastics was down by 51% at 55 million tons. 
(Source:https://plasticseurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Plastics_the_facts-WEB-2020_versionJun21_final.pdf)

Moreover, as per, International Construction and Infrastructure Surveys, the construction and infrastructure activities across all regions went down in Q1 of 2020 with China in the Asia-Pacific region having the sharpest workload contraction. 

Calcite is used as fillers in plastics and paints to improve their quality and in the construction sector, it is used as calcium carbonate for concrete/ cement making. Hence, the decrease in activities and production output of such sectors led to less usage of calcite in them, thereby harming the growth of the calcite industry.

Post-pandemic – Surprisingly, as per the American Institute of Architects report, the pandemic re-ignited the housing market. The housing market flourished as households fled metropolitan centers searching for larger homes in the suburbs and exurbs, owing to a need for more space. Even when economic activity slumped in the epidemic's early days, housing started to grow by roughly 7% nationwide in 2020. 

Since calcite is vital in manufacturing construction products, the demand for calcite rose drastically with the growth in the construction market, despite the pandemic.

Our study will explain complete manufacturing process along with major raw materials required to manufacture end-product. This report helps to make effective decisions determining product position and will assist you to understand opportunities and threats around the globe.

The Global Calcite Market is witnessing significant growth in the near future.

In 2023, the Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) segment accounted for noticeable share of global Calcite Market and is projected to experience significant growth in the near future.

The Paper & Pulp segment is expected to expand at the significant CAGR retaining position throughout the forecast period.

Some of the key companies Imerys S. A. , J. M. Huber Corporation and others are focusing on its strategy building model to strengthen its product portfolio and expand its business in the global market.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)