Workers at Cape Breton’s Little Narrows quarry expect to load the first gypsum shipments by December as the facility nears completion of its $104 million revitalization, according to reports from Chronicle Herald.
CGCCanadian Section Under-Secretary-Generalplans to restart mining at a gypsum quarry in Nova Scotia. The company invested $104 million to create a state-of-the-art process that will produce up to 2.0 million tons of raw gypsum annually.
“We are closely linked to the Little Narrows and Cape Breton and are thrilled to be back driving economic growth and supporting the local community as a neighbor and partner…. We will rebuild our docks, rebuild our quarry operations, new equipment… We believe the plant here will be well over 50 years old,” said Chris Griffin, USG CEO.
About 30 employees spent months bringing the Bras D’Or Lake operation back online after the Canadian Gypsum Company shut it down eight years ago. The quarry was first opened in 1907 and operates as a subsidiary of US-based USG Corp.
Plant manager Eric Hinz says the project has gained significant momentum in recent weeks, with major infrastructure taking shape across the 1,500-hectare site.
Construction crews have completed construction of a 183-meter shipping dock designed for ships that will transport gypsum to wallboard manufacturers throughout eastern North America. Workers are also installing a kilometer-long conveyor system that will transport extracted materials from extraction points to storage areas before export.
The company plans to gradually increase production this year before reaching its full capacity of 2,000 tons annually by the third year of operations. Staff numbers will grow from the current 30 workers to approximately 100 over the same time frame.
The expanded workforce will include heavy equipment operators, mechanics, electricians, miners and office staff. Company officials expect that the quarry will operate for five decades.
Haines stressed the project’s importance to regional employment, noting that Cape Bretoners have long needed access to stable, long-term employment opportunities that can support multiple generations of families.
The restart represents a major economic development for the region, combining modern extraction technologies with shipping infrastructure to serve North American construction markets.
More information is posted at www.Usg.com/en-CA
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