Global Calcium Oxalate Market By Form (Powder and Chunks/Lumps), By Purity (Purity 98% - 98.9%, and Purity 99% & Above)

The global Calcium Oxalate market was valued at USD 687.7 Thousand in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 949.9 Thousand by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period. Calcium oxalate (lime oxalate) is an oxalate of a calcium salt with the chemical formula CaC2O4·(H2O)x, where the x variable ranges from 0 to 3. Calcium oxalate is a white odorless powder, which is insoluble in water and transforms to an oxide upon treating at temperatures above 200 degree Celsius. Oxalic acid is the primary raw material for all types of oxalates, including calcium oxalate. It is prepared by the oxidation of glucose or carbohydrates, with the help of nitric acid and by using vanadium pentoxide as a catalyst. Calcium oxalate is prepared by heating sodium in the presence of an alkali catalyst, which is converted to oxalic acid when reacted with sulfuric acid. Presently, however, calcium oxalate is commercially prepared from sugarcane syrup and cane molasses.

Global Calcium Oxalate Market Summary

Market Dynamics

Increase in applications of calcium oxalate and growing use of ceramic tiles in the construction industry are the major factors boosting the market. Calcium oxalate is used in multiple applications such as production of oxalates and the separation of rare earth metals. The manufacturing of ceramics holds a significant portion of the whole application segment. Rare earth elements are being used in a variety of high-tech consumer goods. The presence of rare earth metals in ceramic, alloys, and glass compounds and in oxide compounds offers unique material properties. In metallurgy, the alloy and addition of rare earth elements to steel increases strength and thermal stability. These factors are increasing the demand for calcium oxalate in several end-use industries.

The demand for ceramic tiles is rising at a rapid pace due to urbanization. More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas and the number of people migrating to urban areas is projected to grow in the near future. Calcium oxalate is a primary ingredient for manufacturing ceramic glazes, which is used to manufacture ceramic tiles for floors and walls. Manufacturers of ceramic tiles are forming alliances with distributors and wholesaler of calcium oxalate to receive a steady supply to cater to the end-use consumers.

Conversely, rising prices of calcium oxalate in Asia Pacific region, and obstruction supply chain are expected to restrain the growth of market. Use of oxalic acid in new applications and competitors forming close alliances are anticipated to create lucrative opportunities in the market.

Segmental Outlook

On the basis of form, calcium oxalate is segmented into powder and chunk/lumps. The large share of powder calcium oxalate segment is attributed to the fact that most end use applications requires the end product of calcium oxalate to be in powder from for high solubility purposes. Most of the leading manufacturers in the U.S. such as Sigma Aldrich and American Elements have been primarily offering calcium oxalate in powder form to other end use businesses. However, calcium oxalates in chunk/lumps is also being provided by these companies due to which the segment will grow with a moderate CAGR growth rate.

Global Calcium Oxalate Market By Form

Based on purity, the global calcium oxalate market is bifurcated into purity 98% - 98.9% and purity 99% & above. The purity 99% & above segment accounted for 94.7% share of the market in 2019; while the purity 98% - 98.9% segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period. The large share of the purity 99% & above segment is attributed to the fact that oxalic acid with high concentration is preferred in end use applications due to less presence of impurities. Moreover, high concentrations of calcium oxalate are slightly hygroscopic, which makes it useful. The purity 98% - 98.9% segment is anticipated to expand with a substantial CAGR owing to the increasing demand of ceramic glazes which is finding application in the tiles industry. Also, this segment involves a broad range of applications based on the homogeneity status, composition, particle size distribution, and surface area of ceramic glazes.

Global Calcium Oxalate Market By Purity

Based on applications, the calcium oxalate market is divided into ceramic glazes, preparation of oxalates, and others. The ceramic glazes segment was valued at USD 542.9 thousand in 2019 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period and reach USD 752.3 thousand by 2027. The large share of the purity 99% & above segment is attributed to the fact that oxalic acid with high concentration is preferred in end use applications due to less presence of impurities. Moreover, high concentrations of calcium oxalate is slightly hygroscopic, which makes it useful.

Global Calcium Oxalate Market By Application

Regional Outlook

Based on regions, the global calcium oxalate market is classified as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Asia Pacific accounts for a major share of the global market (64.2%), followed by Europe. The market in Asia Pacific is estimated to expand at a substantial CAGR (4.2%) during the forecast period owing to increasing investments for the expansion of the chemical industry and the presence of major chemical producing countries, such as China and India in the region. The growth of the market in Asia Pacific is attributed to the increasing number of local manufacturers of calcium oxalate. Additionally, developing countries, such as India and China, are offering market players ample opportunities to increase their presence, thus fueling the market in the region during the forecast period. Europe is projected to generate absolute dollar opportunity of USD 46.6 thousand from 2020 to 2027. Many calcium oxalate manufacturers have incorporated sustainability into their corporate strategies by evaluated the production of calcium oxalate with new production techniques.