Approximately 90% of buildings worldwide are constructed using cement, but cement production generates massive emissions, releasing about 900 kilograms of carbon dioxide per ton of cement produced. Including fuel, this accounts for 5-8% of global totals, exacerbating the greenhouse effect and climate change. To mitigate this impact, 30% of interior finishing materials use anhydrite as a cement substitute. Anhydrite is used to produce plasters, putties, and self-leveling floors, making it more environmentally friendly. However, traditional production methods involve expensive raw materials and high energy consumption.

Scientists from Perm Polytechnic University and the Institute of Technical Chemistry of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed a new method for obtaining active anhydrite. This technology requires almost no external heating, reducing energy costs by 5-10 times and completely eliminating waste generation. The invention has been patented and is part of the "Priority 2030 Strategic Academic Leadership" program.

Cement plants consume vast amounts of energy and water resources while producing dust, toxic sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides that pollute air and soil. For example, a large cement plant producing 5 million tons of cement annually can consume up to 12 million cubic meters of water—enough to supply a city of 100,000 people.

Anhydrite is a natural mineral based on calcium sulfate without water content. In construction, it is made from gypsum and sulfuric acid, often serving as a binder in strengthening mixtures for self-leveling floors and as a sealant for concrete cracks. Ordinary cement takes nearly a month to harden, while anhydrite requires only 1-2 days. In traditional production, gypsum is mixed with sulfuric acid and heated to high temperatures, where the acid accelerates water evaporation, leaving dry powdered anhydrite. However, this method has high environmental and economic costs, requiring heating gypsum to 400-850 degrees Celsius, with energy costs of 0.55-0.7kWh per kilogram, while also producing carbon dioxide and toxic waste that requires additional disposal costs.

Scientists at Perm Polytechnic University propose using limestone instead of gypsum to produce anhydrite. Unlike cement, anhydrite does not require very high evaporation temperatures, reducing environmental damage. Professor Vladimir Boylov from Perm Polytechnic University stated that existing methods require high temperatures to evaporate water, but the new scheme operates at only 110 to 160 degrees Celsius. Limestone is crushed to one millimeter and mixed with sulfuric acid in a special rotating reactor, where the reaction itself releases heat to evaporate the liquid without needing heating or significant electricity. This yields active anhydrite with calcium sulfate content of 80.1% to 93.8%, meeting standards.

Limestone is naturally pure with almost no impurities, leaving no precipitates and requiring no filtration. Raw materials can be fully recycled, achieving zero waste in production within a closed system. The final product's performance is comparable to traditional gypsum-based anhydrite and can be used immediately.