The present invention provides methods and apparatus for treating flue gas containing sulfur dioxide using a scrubber, and more particularly relates to recovering gypsum and magnesium hydroxide products from the scrubber blowdown. The gypsum and magnesium hydroxide products are created using two separate precipitation reactions. Gypsum is crystallized when magnesium sulfate reacts with calcium chloride. Magnesium hydroxide is precipitated when magnesium chloride from the gypsum crystallization process reacts with calcium hydroxide. The process produces a high quality gypsum with a controllable pH and particle size distribution, as well as high quality magnesium hydroxide.