Methods of removing chloride from gypsum having high level of chloride salt

A method of treating a salt-containing gypsum source comprising salt-containing gypsum powder particles, comprising:

• mixing chloride salt absorbing beads, which have 0 to 30% free moisture, with salt-containing gypsum powder particles, which contain 5-30 wt. % of free moisture, for a time in a range of 5 minutes to 5 hours, at a mix ratio of the chloride salt absorbing beads to the salt-containing gypsum powder particles in a range 5 to 50 parts by weight beads to 100 parts by weight salt-containing gypsum particles on a moisture inclusive basis, to transfer chloride salt from the salt-containing gypsum powder particles to the chloride salt absorbing beads to produce a mixture of salt laden chloride salt absorbing beads and treated gypsum powder particles, wherein the salt laden chloride salt absorbing beads are all larger in particle size than the treated gypsum powder particles;
• wherein the salt-containing gypsum powder particles comprise at least 80 wt. % calcium sulfate dihydrate on a dry basis,
• wherein the salt-containing gypsum powder particles comprise greater than 300 parts by weight chloride anion per 1,000,000 parts by weight said salt-containing gypsum powder particles on a dry basis,
• wherein the salt-containing gypsum powder particles have a D50 median particle size of 10 to 100 microns, wherein the chloride salt absorbing beads comprise inorganic material selected from activated alumina, zeolite, and/or silica gel,
• wherein the chloride salt absorbing beads have a D50 median particle size of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, and
• after said mixing, drying the mixture of the salt laden chloride salt absorbing beads and the treated gypsum powder particles and separating the treated gypsum powder particles from the salt laden chloride salt absorbing beads to recover the treated gypsum powder particles and recover the salt laden chloride salt absorbing beads.