Xifeng company turns phosphogypsum into cat litter

Phosphogypsum supplied by Guizhou Phosphate Chemical Group was transformed into white, granular cat litter at the production workshop of Guizhou Gaosi Siwei Technology Co in Xifeng county, Guiyang, Guizhou province, on July 2. The products were shipped to Guiyang's urban areas, Chongqing, and other places.

The company's production line now has a monthly capacity of 500 metric tons, while its online sales channels are expected to cover the southwestern China market by the end of July.

A cat uses the cat litter produced by the Guizhou Gaosi Siwei Technology Co. [Photo/ddcpc website]

As a sci-tech company, Gaosi Siwei Technology independently holds an invention patent for producing cat litter from phosphogypsum, with this accounting for more than 80 percent of the product's raw materials.

In response to the millions of metric tons of phosphogypsum generated annually in Guizhou province, the company partnered with Anshun University on industry-academia-research cooperation.

After laboratory studies, pilot testing and market validation, and an investment of nearly 10 million yuan ($1.48 million), the company’s research team overcame key technical challenges involving granulation, dust control, clumping and source-based odor removal.

Compared with conventional cat litter, phosphogypsum-based cat litter benefits from a stable local supply of raw materials, shorter transportation distances and lower costs. After use, it can react with cat urine to generate natural inorganic salts, making it suitable for flushing down toilets or for using as an organic fertilizer for soil improvement.

The company is also developing complementary products such as gypsum cat litter boxes and cat houses, further expanding its phosphogypsum-based pet product industrial chain.