China: China National Building Material’s (CNBM) gypsum wallboard sales rose by 1.5% year-on-year to 866Mm² in the first half of 2018 from 853Mm² in the same period in 2017. Its wallboard production remained stable at 874Mm². Average wallboard prices at both of its New Materials division subsidiaries also increased.

The group’s sales revenue from its New Materials division rose by 10.3% to US$1.66bn from US$1.5bn. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 30% to US$452m from US$346m. Overall, group sales revenue rose by 22% to US$14bn from US$11.5bn.

The company said that its BNBM subsidiary set up a company, Tanzanian Company Limited, in Tanzania and that BNBM refocused Wanjia Building Materials for the global market

CNBM’s subsidiaries that produce gypsum wallboard include BNBM and Taishan Gypsum.

Canada: Red Moon Resources Inc. has said that it will commence development of the Ace gypsum mine in western Newfoundland after it received government approval for its plan for an open pit operation.

Operational work, consisting of scrubbing vegetation and overburden removal, has begun at the site. The Canada-listed explorer is working with Vinland Materials Inc. to undertake contract mining operations and secure sales agreements for gypsum and anhydrite. In addition, it is working towards initiating shipments in 2018, with sales contracts to be sourced by 2019.

Red Moon estimated potential resources of 3-5Mt within the mining lease, which was obtained in October 2017.

US: Taishan Gypsum and its owner China National Building Material Company (CNBM) have reached a US$1.98m settlement in one of its on-going legal cases related to alleged defective gypsum wallboard. The Chinese manufacturer says that it has reached settlement with the plantiffs. The case is a third-party claim initiated by original claimants Venture Supply and Porter-Blaine. Following receipt of the payment the plantiffs have agreed to waive all liabilities with respect to Taishan Gypsum.

Turkmenistan: Hilligurlushikonumleri has announced that it is building a dry gypsum compound and plasterboard plant in the city of Magdanly, Lebap Province. The plant, designed to produce 12Mm2/yr of gypsum wallboard and 100,000t/yr of dry gypsum mixtures, will be equipped with modern equipment and technology. Hilligurlushikonumleri says that this will make it possible to compete in the production of high-quality products, while creating new jobs. The construction of the facility is due to be completed by the end of 2019.