The Antrim Gypsum Project

_{The Antrim Project is a proposed mining site, which will be owned and operated by CertainTeed Canada Inc, (CertainTeed) as a conventional gypsum mining operation. The Project includes an open pit quarry, till and organic stockpiles, overburden storage area, rock processing plant, and water management infrastructure.}

CertainTeed is North America's leading manufacturer of exterior and interior building products, including gypsum drywall. We are a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the world's largest, oldest, and most respected companies. Read Our Mission for more information about CertainTeed.

The site will be located 50 km from Halifax, Nova Scotia, near Gays River, along Lake Egmont Road in the community of Cooks Brook, Nova Scotia.

The lifespan of the project is 20 years.

Gypsum is a non-toxic calcium sulfate mineral, indispensable for energy efficient and sustainable construction solutions. Most of the mined gypsum produced in North America is used to manufacture drywall products and other essential building materials. Gypsum is also helpful to humans, plant life, and the environment, since it is also used:

• As a natural fertilizer for organic agricultural products, in alternative to chemical fertilizers.
• As a soil additive or amendment to improve the soil's workability and receptivity to moisture, and to restore salty soil's and overcome the corrosive effect of alkalinity. Gypsum specifically benefits such crops as alfalfa, corn, cotton, wheat, and peanuts where substantial amounts of sulfate and calcium are required.
• As a food additive. Gypsum (calcium sulfate) is recognized as acceptable for human consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as a dietary source of calcium to condition water used in brewing beer, to control the tartness and clarity of wine, and as an ingredient in canned vegetables, flour, white bread, ice cream, blue cheese, and other foods.
• As an additive to turbid water, particularly ponds, to settle direct and clay particles without injuring aquatic life.

• As an additive in many other markets (animal feed, pharmaceutical and cosmetics, etc.)

   

The proposed Antrim Project will use Surface Miner Machines to mine the gypsum. The Surface Miners will cut the gypsum in thin horizontal lifts, reducing the need for traditional drilling and blasting operations. The ultimate pit will be divided into six phases (or pushbacks) and advance from north to south.

As a naturally occurring mineral and a material with a lower carbon impact compared to other building materials such as bricks and cement, the use of gypsum in construction can help to achieve lighter and more sustainable construction.

Due to its low thermal conductivity, gypsum helps to keep warm air from escaping in winter and from entering a structure in the summer months, improving energy efficiency of homes and buildings.

A benefit of using gypsum in construction materials such as drywall is that it can be recycled indefinitely and reused in the production of new gypsum wallboard. This prevents resource depletion, overcrowded landfills, and creates a circular economy in the construction industry.

As CertainTeed, and its parent company Saint-Gobain North America work to achieve their sustainability goals such as achieving net-zero carbon by 2050 and eliminating landfill waste, the organization is working to recycle its own gypsum wallboard and that of others to be reused in production. For example, in British Columbia, where CertainTeed is the only gypsum drywall manufacturer, the facility works with New West Gypsum Recycling to break down wallboard at the end of its life so that the gypsum can be reused to make new drywall.

Process infrastructure, including two run-of-mine stockpiles, sizer building, screening building, and board grade pile building, and non-process infrastructure, such as a maintenance building, mine office and mine dry, warehouse, security house, guest house, and training house.

Water management infrastructure, including sumps, settling ponds and ditches will also be established during operations to effectively manage surface and ground water impacts on the project and surrounding areas.

External haul roads from the pit to the processing plant, topsoil stockpile and combined overburden/waster stockpile as well as two separate site access roads for employees and delivery trucks will be established.

The Antrim Mine Operation (Project) is expected to create 65 direct full-time jobs during operations.

Forecasted positions for Antrim in Nova Scotia are:

• Mine Manager
• Mine Superintendent
• Health & Safety coordinator
• Environmental Specialist
• Mine Engineer
• Geologist/Quality Control
• Quality Tester(s)
• Office Administrator
• Mine Shift Lead(s)
• Mine Equipment Operator(s)
• Rock Processing Operator(s)
• Logistics Coordinator
• Shipment Clerk(s)
• Maintenance Supervisor
• Mechanic(s)
• Lube & Refill Operator(s)

In addition, the Project is expected to create contractors, service and consultancy job opportunities during pre-engineering, construction, operations and transportation, including job opportunities at Sheet Harbor site, due to the increased business generated by Antrim's Project.

As a Saint-Gobain company, CertainTeed is accountable for managing and reducing its environmental impacts along the whole value chain of its activities, including mines and quarries, with the ambition of preserving, restoring, increasing and enhancing biodiversity, and doing all of this by involving the concerned parties.

Please see Saint-Gobain Corporate Responsibility Resource Center for more information.