Lafarge opens new gypsum plant in China -paper

BEIJING, June 21 (Reuters) - The world's biggest cement maker, France's Lafarge (LAFP.PA), has opened a 110 million yuan ($16 million) gypsum plant in China's southwestern quake-hit Sichuan province, the China Daily newspaper reported on Saturday.

The new facility in provincial capital Chengdu will increase Lafarge's annual gypsum capacity in China to more than 70 million square meters from about 50 million, the paper said.

A 7.9-magnitude quake struck the province and its neighbouring regions on May 12, killing at least 70,000 people.

Lafarge announced in May that it would build three more cement plants in China in the years to 2010, and would start construction of the first one immediately. ($1=6.879 Yuan) (Reporting by Langi Chiang; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)