Mabwe Minerals, a Raptor Resources Holdings subsidiary, is focused on the logistics, mining, and commercial sale of barite and other minerals in Zimbabwe. Primary operations are now at Dodge Mine, located on a rich hydrothermal mountain range of 233 hectacres, which is bearing not only superior-grade barite, but also abundant limestone and talc. The property additionally contains widespread gossan deposits which indicate the potential presence of copper, zinc, nickel, and gold.
Gravity mapping of Dodge Mine reveals extensive barite deposits across the project, along with other key minerals that have yet to be announced. Samples of white barite scored 97.25% pure barium sulfate (BaSO4) with pink/brown barite samples scoring 95.5%. The Dodge Mine barite is of world-class quality, due to its high percentage content of barium sulfate with a specific gravity of 4.5 g/cm3, and it covers a wide range of applications.
The primary consumer for barite is the oil and gas drilling sector, accounting for some 70% to 80% of supply per year, where it is utilized as a weighting agent in drilling fluids, which help prevent well blowouts and/or shaft collapses. Dodge Mine has some of the best American Petroleum Institute (API)-grade barite on earth, helping to cover the market demand for these agents. The abundant barite discovered at Dodge Mine addresses the worldwide shortages for barite, while immediately serving development of the huge new oil discoveries off the coast of neighboring Mozambique.
Dodge Mine is also host to some exceptional, higher grade barite types that will fetch top dollar in the automotive, medical, and paint additive sectors, as well as niche markets in heavy-duty concrete. Together with its experienced strategic partners, Mabwe Minerals is mining an incredible resource at Dodge Mine, which has brought a new commercial source of barite to a market that continues to face growing worldwide shortages.
For more information about Mabwe Minerals and the Dodge Mine project, visit www.mabweminerals.com
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