Gypsum industry news

Oman: Hilal bin Mohammed al-Busaidi, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Public Authority for Mining (PAM), predicts that Oman is set to become the largest exporter of gypsum by the end of 2017. Its gypsum exports are expected to exceed 10Mt in 2018 from 4.6Mt in 2016, according to the Oman News Agency. So far the country has exported 6.1Mt in the first nine months of 2017.

PAM says that Oman has 1Bnt of reserves of gypsum. These are concentrated in the southern part of the country and in some northern regions notably in Al Shuwaimiyah, Thumrait, Sadah, Ghaba and Buraimi. The principal export markets for the product are India, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

Oman: The chief executives of the major gypsum mining companies have endorsed new regulations issued by the Public Authority for Mining (PAM) calling for a minimum export price for gypsum. The company leaders also agreed to establish the Oman Gypsum Association (OGA), an organisation intended to support the industry, according to the Oman Daily Observer newspaper. The decision follows the intervention by the PAM in December 2016 when it set minimum export freight on board (FOB) price for raw gypsum at US$12.50/t.

Following the intervention, local gypsum exporters are barred from exporting raw gypsum below this price. Those found in breach of this regulation will be denied export permits, while repeat offenders could have their mining licences removed.