Gypsum industry news

Oman: Zawawi Minerals has published a report in which it forecasts 11% year-on-year growth in gypsum exports, to 10.0Mt in 2020 from 9.00Mt in 2019. The report notes that Oman’s consistent supply of gypsum makes it the most important supplier to the Asian and South/East African regions. It contrasts the fitness of the Omani gypsum sector for exports with that of Pakistan, where bilateral trade with neighbouring India has been suspended since 7 August 2019.

India/Pakistan: Raw gypsum exports are growing at the Wagah border crossing between Pakistan and India. Around 3000t/day or 80 trucks of gypsum cross the border into India, according to the Nation newspaper. Exports have been increasing due to demand from Indian importers. Most of the commodity is used to make cement although it is also used to produce fertiliser and make plaster products such as gypsum wallboard.

Pakistan: A new gypsum plant is under construction in Karachi, Pakistan, under the name of United Gypsum. The plant will include 100,000t/yr of gypsum powder capacity and 10Mm²/yr of gypsum wallboard capacity. It is expected to start in the middle of 2016.

Pakistan: DFB Gypsum Industries has announced that it is building a new gypsum facility in Hattar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The new plant is expected to start production in the middle of 2016. It will have a 100,000t/yr plaster line and a 6Mm²/yr wallboard line.

Pakistan: Labourers have demanded payment of compensation to the legal heirs of their colleagues who lost their lives during work in gypsum mines in the Karak District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The labourers said that several workers had been killed in gypsum mines at Lakh Kani, Bahaderkhel and Narri Panos areas in the Karak District, but the families didn't receive any compensation from the Workers Welfare Board of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They also complained that the mine owners had provided no safety equipment to the labourers. The labour leaders threatened to stage a sit-in outside of the office of the labour commissioner of Kohat if their demands were not met.

Pakistan: An explosion in a gypsum mine in Khewra, Jhelum District left three people dead and seven others buried under rubble on 15 April 2014, according to local press. The explosion, which was a planned explosion carried out to expand the mine, appears to have gone wrong.

Pakistan/India: The price of gypsum has increased by about US$1.50/t for local consumers after the opening of Wagha border, because mine contactors are exporting gypsum to neighbouring India in massive quantities. Industry sources said that if exports of gypsum continued unchecked the local cement manufacturers, who are the major users of this commodity, will suffer the most due to its constant hike in rates, which may impact the price of cement.

In India the price change has been in the opposite direction and more pronounced, with prices falling from US$35/t to US$24/t on a glut in supply.

An official of the Pakistani Punjab Mines & Minerals Department, on the condition that his name not to be mentioned, questioned the prudence of allowing raw gypsum exports. "We are monitoring export of gypsum and trying to approach the cement industry, which is the biggest user of this mine. In several meetings with the representatives of the cement industry we have raised the issue of unregulated gypsum exports to India through the Wahga border route," the official said.

In the 2010-2011 financial year, which ended on 30 June 2012, Pakistan produced around 0.68Mt of gypsum, with its part of Punjab producing 0.49Mt of the total.