Patrick Odiegwu, Managing Director of Polygard Investment Nigeria Limited, Vice President of Mines at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Secretary General of the Association of Miners and Processors of Baryte, highlighted the significance of Baryte in an interview. “Baryte is essential to our national economy. You can’t drill a drop of oil without using Baryte,” he stated.
Nigeria’s Baryte deposits, primarily found in veins and cavity fillings hosted by various rocks, play a crucial role in the oil and gas industry. Baryte is a drilling mud weighting agent to balance reservoir pressure and prevent blowouts during drilling operations.
Odiegwu shared his journey into Baryte mining, which began accidentally. “Initially, we were a company that exported lead as traders. Through our experiences, it became clear that we needed to assess our own mines to control the value chain. The mine we acquired had lead, Baryte, and zinc. We discovered that Baryte, which has a lower specific gravity, was present in abundance and highly valuable to the oil and gas industry.”
“We discovered that Baryte, which has a lower specific gravity, was present in abundance and highly valuable to the oil and gas industry.”
Despite the potential of Baryte, Odiegwu pointed out a lack of comprehensive data. “We have discovered over 2 million metric tons of Baryte on just 20% of our site area. However, there is a lack of transparency in the Baryte industry. Currently, no government institution can provide data on the amount of Baryte used annually in Nigeria.”
In May last year, the Federal Government launched a Baryte Processing Plant in Ugaga,
Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State, aiming to curb illegal mining and
smuggling in the South-South geopolitical zone. Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, emphasized that the plant would create over twenty thousand jobs along the mining value chain in the South-South zone.
Odiegwu urged a coordinated approach to address the data gap and enhance the Baryte industry. “We need the political will to bring all stakeholders together—the IOC, Baryte processors, oil servicing companies, and licensed Baryte mining companies. The problem can be solved in less than an hour if we work collectively.”
He also highlighted the high quality of Nigerian Baryte, “Our Baryte has a specific gravity of over 4.6, far above the American Petroleum Institute standard of 4.2. There is no reason to import Baryte when we have such high-quality deposits locally.”
Odiegwu called for inter-ministerial collaboration to address challenges such as poor
infrastructure and inadequate communication networks in mining areas. “Mining should be a catalyst for national development. We need a one-stop-shop for mining execution in Nigeria, involving the Ministries of Communication, Transportation, and others. This will ensure a holistic approach to mining operations.”
He concluded by encouraging Nigerian investors to consider the mining sector. “Mining is integral to everything—from mobile phones to houses, cars, and cameras. We need
deliberate efforts to develop this sector and harness Nigeria’s vast potential.
Cooperation between states and the Minister of Mines will be key to addressing pressing issues and unlocking the benefits of mining for our country.”
