Sichuan Quake Impacts Barytes Supply

Following the earthquake on 12 May, measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale, that devastated parts of China's south-western province of Sichuan, the Chinese government was quick to act in mobilising rail cars. Many of these have the primary, but now temporarily of lesser priority, use of serving the industrial minerals industry. The emergency use of the rail cars to take food, water and medical supplies to the devastated area, has in particular delayed transportation of barytes from mines in Guizhou and Guangxi, and brown fused alumina from Guizhou, to the southern part of Xhanjiang, Guangdong province. The action has also caused iron ore shipment delays, the ports primary mineral.