Post by Trade facilitator on Dec 1, 2021 19:52:43 GMT 1
The Federal Government Of Nigeria (FGN) Is Ready To Stop Importation Of Barite And Discloses Launch Of Made In Nigeria Barite
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite, said that the country is getting ready to put a stop to importation of Barite into the country.
The Minister also disclosed the launch of made in Nigeria Barite to stop the importation of the commodity into the country.
The Minister made the statement in Port Harcourt at the launch of Nigerian Barite. He said that as part of the core mandate of his Ministry, he would ensure that solid minerals are refined and produced in the country.
What is Barite?
Barite is a primary, naturally occurring, barium-based mineral. Its atomic number is 56. The name is derived from a Greek word meaning heavy. The mineral is also known as barite, and also known as “tiff” in Missouri.
Barite is found in many countries including Nigeria, but the primary countries that barite is currently found in commercial quantities are:
United States of America (USA)
China
India
And Morocco.
The mineral’s high density and chemical inertness make it an ideal mineral for many applications in the chemical industry.
Barite may be found in a variety of colors which includes: yellow, brown, white, blue, gray, or in some cases colorless.
In what industries is barite used?
Drilling Industry:
The greater quantity of barite mined is used in the petroleum industry as a weighting material in the formulation of drilling mud. Barite is soft and therefore this prevents it from damaging drilling tools during drilling and also enables it to serve as a lubricant.
Medical Industry:
Another area where the use of barite is prevalent is the medical profession. The type of barite used in the medical field is in its high-purity form, it is used in the gastrointestinal tract where its density prevents x-ray penetration, and therefore visible on an x-ray.
It is also used in a wide variety of applications like; clutch pads, plastics, mold release compounds, radiation shields, computer monitors, sound-deadening materials in automobiles, etc.
With all we have seen about the usefulness of barite as an industrial mineral, not only in the petroleum industry but in many other areas, the Federal Government is now interested in harnessing the mineral in the country.
The Minister, Mr. Adegbite enumerated some challenges the Ministry faced before 2016. He blamed lack of infrastructure, artisanal mining activities and insufficient funding as some of the problems facing the sector.
He said “As one of the mandates of the ministry, refining and production of solid minerals in the state will enable the ministry to take minerals from the mines instead of just producing raw ore and exporting them.”
The Minister told the people that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry to address the constraints and rejuvenate the minerals, mining and metals sector.
He told a delegation from the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, led by Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, to the Ministry recently.
He said that the ministry is committed to diversify the economy by stopping the unnecessary capital flight through the importation of Barite to the detriment of local industries. The country has the capacity to develop the nation’s huge deposits of barite including the development of value chain of other mineral resources across the 774 local government areas of the Federation.
Where is Barite found in Nigeria?
Barite can be found in commercial quantities in the following states in Nigeria: Nassarawa, Plateau Zamfara, Ebonyi, Gombe, Cross River, Adamawa, Benue, Taraba.
Nigeria is reputed to have an estimated reserve of about 15 million metric tonnes of Barite in the various states where the mineral is deposited.
From our foregoing analysis, we can see that barite can be considered as an important industrial mineral used as a weighing agent for the drilling muds mainly in the oil industry.
We found out that it can also be used for other industries like medicine, glass making, paper and rubber and many others. In fact, this commodity is a very important one.
What is the cost of barite per metric ton in the international market?
According to the publication of the US Department of the interior, the average price of barite per ton was $180 in 2019.
Stay with us as we continue to bring to you issues that will help the economy of this country come out the problem it is in now.
The Minister also disclosed the launch of made in Nigeria Barite to stop the importation of the commodity into the country.
The Minister made the statement in Port Harcourt at the launch of Nigerian Barite. He said that as part of the core mandate of his Ministry, he would ensure that solid minerals are refined and produced in the country.
What is Barite?
Barite is a primary, naturally occurring, barium-based mineral. Its atomic number is 56. The name is derived from a Greek word meaning heavy. The mineral is also known as barite, and also known as “tiff” in Missouri.
Barite is found in many countries including Nigeria, but the primary countries that barite is currently found in commercial quantities are:
United States of America (USA)
China
India
And Morocco.
The mineral’s high density and chemical inertness make it an ideal mineral for many applications in the chemical industry.
Barite may be found in a variety of colors which includes: yellow, brown, white, blue, gray, or in some cases colorless.
In what industries is barite used?
Drilling Industry:
The greater quantity of barite mined is used in the petroleum industry as a weighting material in the formulation of drilling mud. Barite is soft and therefore this prevents it from damaging drilling tools during drilling and also enables it to serve as a lubricant.
Medical Industry:
Another area where the use of barite is prevalent is the medical profession. The type of barite used in the medical field is in its high-purity form, it is used in the gastrointestinal tract where its density prevents x-ray penetration, and therefore visible on an x-ray.
It is also used in a wide variety of applications like; clutch pads, plastics, mold release compounds, radiation shields, computer monitors, sound-deadening materials in automobiles, etc.
With all we have seen about the usefulness of barite as an industrial mineral, not only in the petroleum industry but in many other areas, the Federal Government is now interested in harnessing the mineral in the country.
The Minister, Mr. Adegbite enumerated some challenges the Ministry faced before 2016. He blamed lack of infrastructure, artisanal mining activities and insufficient funding as some of the problems facing the sector.
He said “As one of the mandates of the ministry, refining and production of solid minerals in the state will enable the ministry to take minerals from the mines instead of just producing raw ore and exporting them.”
The Minister told the people that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry to address the constraints and rejuvenate the minerals, mining and metals sector.
He told a delegation from the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, led by Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, to the Ministry recently.
He said that the ministry is committed to diversify the economy by stopping the unnecessary capital flight through the importation of Barite to the detriment of local industries. The country has the capacity to develop the nation’s huge deposits of barite including the development of value chain of other mineral resources across the 774 local government areas of the Federation.
Where is Barite found in Nigeria?
Barite can be found in commercial quantities in the following states in Nigeria: Nassarawa, Plateau Zamfara, Ebonyi, Gombe, Cross River, Adamawa, Benue, Taraba.
Nigeria is reputed to have an estimated reserve of about 15 million metric tonnes of Barite in the various states where the mineral is deposited.
From our foregoing analysis, we can see that barite can be considered as an important industrial mineral used as a weighing agent for the drilling muds mainly in the oil industry.
We found out that it can also be used for other industries like medicine, glass making, paper and rubber and many others. In fact, this commodity is a very important one.
What is the cost of barite per metric ton in the international market?
According to the publication of the US Department of the interior, the average price of barite per ton was $180 in 2019.
Stay with us as we continue to bring to you issues that will help the economy of this country come out the problem it is in now.
