Barytes Beneficiation Plant – First Of Its Kind In World

IBC Limited (Chennai, India) promoted by Late Ex-Member of Parliament (LS) Shri. Kandula Obul Reddy, an acknowledged pioneer in the BARYTE MINERAL field, and awarded the Best Exporter Award by the Prime Minister of India. IBC Ltd established Baryte Mining, Processing, and Exports INDUSTRY around the RAILWAY KODUR town, A.P., beginning in the 1950’s. Baryte mineral is used primarily in the DRILLING INDUSTRY, specifically in the field of oil and gas exploration and extraction. Baryte is also an important raw material for the BARIUM CHEMICAL INDUSTRY. This Industry requires continuous supply of very high purity Baryte mineral.

IBC Limited (IBCL) promoted ANDHRA BARYTE CORPORATION PVT. LTD. (ABCPL) as a Joint Venture (JV/SPV) with Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation Limited (APMDC) in 2008 for establishing a Baryte Mineral Beneficiation/Enrichment Plant (BBP). The plant was constructed between 2009-12. It is 100% operational since 2013. This project was initiated by APMDC beginning with an Expression of Interest (EOI) and followed by Allotment to IBC with permission to float a JV to build the Plant. IBC won through a competitive tendering process inculcating various techno-economic parameters. APMDC was earlier advised by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Nagpur, the nodal authority for Mining in the country, to monetise the low/waste grade mineral already mined over 6 decades (7Million MT) and lying idle, and thereby to also reduce the environmental impact to winds, wildlife and greenery, by reducing such massive hill like dumps.

The Plant’s equipment and machinery is built to process 350,000 MT p.a. Presently the plant is approved by Authorities to process 200K MT p.a. and has all permissions necessary, and this was the quantity offered annually by APMDC in their JV. APMDC is a statutory entity promoted by the Govt. Of Andhra Pradesh for the purpose of developing mineral deposits in the AP state. AP is the only state having Baryte deposits in the country. In fact, APMDC produces 100% of its Baryte mineral production from a single MANGEMPAETA BARYTE MINE near Tirupati, AP. APMDC produces on an average 1,000,000 MT PA of high grade / directly saleable mineral. This mining activity results, in addition to the 1M MT of saleable grade mineral, the production of over burden (OB/waste) and low grade mineral,. The low grade mineral is dumped near the mine. The existing dump of low grade Baryte exceeds 7M MT, each year of mining add appropriately 250K-500K MT of low grade mineral.

Special Features of the BBP:
The BBP has a life time raw material tie-up with APMDC. APMDC is 11% JV partner in the BBP/ABCPL. Free equity was allotted to APMDC, in return, APMDC will supply for the life of the plant with the required low grade mineral. APMDC desired and offered 200,000MT of low grade mineral to be processed by each plant and signed the agreement to that effect. The plant is located within 20 acres, at a distance of 2 KM to the APMDC stockpile of 7 Million MT of low grade Baryte Ore. The BBP is able to process low grade Baryte procured from APMDC with average Specific Gravity (Sp.Gr) of 3.8 gm/cm3, and enrich it anywhere up to 4.35 Sp.Gr. Depending upon client/ market requirements, the plant can produce the required grade of mineral.

The Baryte Beneficiation Plant is the only one of its kind for technology and capacity in the Baryte industry globally. At present the Plant is fully operational. The environmental impact of this project is zero.