Baryte miners, processors urged to scale up process …..as Minister urges oil companies to patronize local market
Head Geologist Rimco Mining Ltd, Wanfor Gideon; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon Abubakar Bawa Bwari; Benue State Commissioner for Land, Survey and Mineral, Mr Bernad Unenga; and Project Manager Rimco Mining Ltd, Mike Okoto; during the Ministers tour of mining locations in Benue State…. on Thursday
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has called on miners and processors of baryte in the country to process their products to the required standard that would attract patronage from the Oil and Gas companies operating in the country.
Dr. Fayemi, along with the Minister of State, Abubakar Bawa Bwari, gave the charge Thursday, at a meeting with mining stakeholders in Benue State, including members of the Association of Miners and Processors of Barite (AMAPOB); and Benue State Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (BECIMA) in Torkula Village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The meeting was part of the highlights of the ministers’ tour of baryte mining sites and host communities in the state.
The Minister told them to strive to separate the associated products through beneficiation in order to bring about maximum benefits and import substitution.
He added that with such results it would be easier to meet the relevant arms of government to seek collaboration and secure needed infrastructure intervention such as access roads and rails for product evacuation.
The Minister also urged oil and gas companies in the country to embrace the Made-in-Nigeria campaign of the present government by patronizing baryte sourced from the country, which according to him is of high quality.
On relations with host communities, the Minister said that when the communities are made to enjoy certain percentage of equity stake, they would defend their operations with full dedication and ensure a peaceful host community/industry relations.
One of the operators in the area, Mr Patrick Odiegwu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Polyguard Industries Nigeria Limited, said that given appropriate technological support, local demand for baryte could be easily met.
He lamented the infrastructural deficit and low patronage by most oil and gas companies in the country, adding that the quality of local baryte at 4.3 specific gravity was remains the best in the world.
He wondered why many oil companies in the country continued to import baryte while high quality of the product abound in the country.
