Firm’s plEDgE to protECt QuEEn’s ViEw in BAritE minE plAn

A barite mine could be established north of Aberfeldy.

Oilfield services company M-I SWACO has lodged plans for the facility, at Duntanlich, with Perth and Kinross Council.

If the bid is successful, 120,000 tonnes of the mineral would be mined from the site every year.

The proposed mine is a replacement for the company’s mine at Foss, which has operated since 1985.

The Duntanlich orebody is the only known significant barite deposit that is economical to work and, the firm said, will enable the UK to become self-sufficient in a mineral vitally important to the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Barite is largely used as a weighting agent for drilling fluids in oil and gas exploration and there is no substitute, with all the essential properties of this mineral.

The Foss barite deposit has a complex geological structure, making it increasingly difficult to mine. In comparison, a mine at Duntanlich – boasting in excess of 7.5 million tonnes of barite with a more simple geological structure – could supply the entire UK requirements for more than 50 years. The development would provide employment for around 30 people who would be drawn from the local area.

A previous planning application to develop the Duntanlich resource was turned down in 1996.

The new proposal ensures that there is no visibility from Queen’s View, and no – or minimal – visibility from the rest of the surrounding area.

Ian Hughes, project manager for M-I SWACO said: “We are clearly delighted to be able to be lodging this planning application, which will ensure the UK is self-sufficient in barite.

“Such a project will not only have a significant, positive, local economic impact, diversifying the economy of this rural area where employment is reliant on tourism and forestry, but will also have national significance in terms of providing vital continuity of supply for the North Sea oil and gas industry.

“We have learnt a lot from the time of the previous application and have made significant adjustments to our proposals.”