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Since distant times gypsum has coexisted alongside with the humanity and it is one of the oldest building materials. It is also used in decoration works, medicine and light industry. The quality of gypsum products manufactured with high technology in other countries makes of gypsum a valuable material due to its cost-effective production. Although Cuba has this prized resource, there are not short-term investment plans in sight, thus there are not real perspectives for its exploitation. In this paper, the current national status of gypsum production is analyzed and the potentialities and development of the material are assessed. The implementation of cutting-edge technologies would definitely help achieve high-quality productions so as to build a worldwide competitive gypsum industry. It has been proven that gypsum mineral extracted from Matanzas mines can be used to manufacture all gypsum types: construction, modeling and special gypsums. Thus, special gypsum import could be replaced by a national raw material and the growing needs of the potential tourist industry would be met. This product is in demand in health care system as dental and orthopedic plaster and in agriculture as soil neutralizing fertilizer. The country would have an opportunity for competition in the international market where special gypsum is in high demand. Such productions would have great impact in the domestic economy by contributing to obtain new export rubles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gypsum mineral is the most common sulfated ore existing in nature – its chemical formula is CaSO4.2H2O – which has been formed by the evaporation of ocean water during million years. In Cuba there are three gypsum mineral deposits where gypsum beta hemihydrates are mainly produced. Itis used in construction works and modeling and in cement production. This paper aims at doing a chemical and physical characterization of gypsum mineral existing in the mines located in the region Canasi in Matanzas province with the view to assessing its use for obtaining gypsum alpha hemihydrates for special uses, which are deficit products imported at high cost in the country. For this characterization to be carried out at laboratory and industrial scale, the research field was divided into several areas for assessing individual purities –enabling to mix one another in a way that meet the required quality of the product in a determined temperature range. The mine has a great potential for obtaining special gypsum that meet all international quality standards which would allow the country to substitute imports and to fully meet national requirements by building a valuable export. The research proved the gypsum from this mine to be especially fast by nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]