The U.S. private equity company Lone Star is on the brink of owning Lafarge's North American mineral business mainly on gypsum for $700 million, two informants acquainted with the ongoing deal said.

The world's biggest concrete manufacturer, Lafarge, has been trying to sell its non-principal resources so that it can concentrate on its cement dealings. In accordance with the company's 2007 records, Lafarge accumulated arrears just to be able to purchase the Middle Eastern cement-maker Orascom resulting in the shortfall of its venture-capital-grade evaluation in 2011.

The said enterprise in gypsum that primarily generates plasterboard yields earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) worth about $75 million as well as entranced proposals from many other exclusive equity partnerships, one of the informers stated.

The French company's spokesperson turned down the request for a statement while Lone Star was not directly available to give a remark regarding the said transactions.

The sources also articulated on the fact that talks with Lone Star so far, had not been entirely over and done with and that it could even disintegrate. Finally, the negotiations may possibly be publicized promptly within the week.