Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4ยท2H2O. It can be used as a fertilizer, is the main constituent in many forms of plaster and is widely mined. As a mineral, it is alabaster, which has been used for sculpture by many cultures including Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Nottingham alabasters of medieval England. It is the definition of a hardness of 2 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. It forms as an evaporite mineral and as a hydration product of anhydrite.
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