Canada: The British Columbia government has granted an environmental assessment certificate for a 0.4Mt/yr opencast gypsum mine in West Kootenay proposed by CertainTeed Gypsum Canada. Construction of the project is expected to cost US$19m, according to the Canadian Press. Gypsum from the mine will be used to manufacture gypsum wallboard, cement and plaster products.

Spain: Etex has become the sole shareholder of Pladur following the completion of a deal to buy all the remaining shares from Coemac. The deal was first announced in July 2017 and following customary closing conditions it closed on 22 December 2017. Pladur operates one gypsum wallboard plant near Madrid and it has been building a second plant at Gelsa that was due to open in mid-2017.

Uzbekistan: Knauf Gips Bukhara has suspended production of gypsum wallboard at its plant in Bukhara until 1 March 2018 while it builds a new production line. The upgrade is planned to increase the unit’s production capacity by 30%. It was originally scheduled for completion in 2017. Knauf has spent Euro40m on the project.

Ireland: Gyproc has launched what it says is the country’s first wallboard recycling service at its Kingscourt plant in County Cavan. The subsidiary of Saint-Gobain hopes to recycle 0.5Mt of wallboard by 2028. It has spent Euro1.5m on the upgrade to the plant and it has increased the number of employees to 220.

“We’re very proud to be the first and only plasterboard manufacturer in the country to offer recycling of our products on the island,” said Brian Dolan, Managing Director of Gyproc. “As a market leader in this sector we are determined to be at the forefront of innovation in new products and services, and in the sustainability and environmental benefits of those services.” The manufacturer sources gypsum from its Drummond mine in County Monaghan.