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BARITE

EC / List no.: 236-664-5
CAS no.: 13462-86-7 / 7727-43-7


Baryte, barite or barytes (/ˈbæraɪt, ˈbɛər-/ or /bəˈraɪtiːz/) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO4).
Barite  is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. 
The Barite group consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), anglesite (lead sulfate), and anhydrite (calcium sulfate). Barite and celestine form a solid solution (Ba,Sr)SO4.

Names and history
The radiating form, sometimes referred to as Bologna Stone, attained some notoriety among alchemists for specimens found in the 17th century near Bologna by Vincenzo Casciarolo. 
These became phosphorescent upon being calcined.

Carl Scheele determined that Barite  contained a new element in 1774, but could not isolate barium, only barium oxide. 
Johan Gottlieb Gahn also isolated barium oxide two years later in similar studies.
Barium was first isolated by electrolysis of molten barium salts in 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy in England.

The American Petroleum Institute specification API 13/ISO 13500, which governs Barite  for drilling purposes, does not refer to any specific mineral, but rather a material that meets that specification.
In practice, however, this is usually the mineral Barite .

The term "primary Barite s" refers to the first marketable product, which includes crude Barite  (run of mine) and the products of simple beneficiation methods, such as washing, jigging, heavy media separation, tabling, flotation. 
Most crude Barite requires some upgrading to minimum purity or density. 
Barite that is used as an aggregate in a "heavy" cement is crushed and screened to a uniform size. 
Most Barite is ground to a small, uniform size before it is used as a filler or extender, an addition to industrial products, in the production of barium chemicals or a weighting agent in petroleum well drilling mud.

Name
The name Barite is derived from the Ancient Greek: βαρύς, romanized: barús, 'heavy'. 
The American spelling is barite.
The International Mineralogical Association initially adopted "barite" as the official spelling, but recommended adopting the older "baryte" spelling later. 
This move was controversial and was notably ignored by American mineralogists.

Other names have been used for barite, including barytine, barytite, barytes, heavy spar, tiff, and blanc fixe.


Mineral associations and locations
Barite occurs in many depositional environments, and is deposited through many processes including biogenic, hydrothermal, and evaporation, among others.
Barite commonly occurs in lead-zinc veins in limestones, in hot spring deposits, and with hematite ore. 
Barite is often associated with the minerals anglesite and celestine. 
Barite has also been identified in meteorites.

Barite has been found at locations in Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, Canada, Chile, China, India, Pakistan, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iran, Ireland (where it was mined on Benbulben), Liberia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Romania (Baia Sprie), Turkey, South Africa (Barberton Mountain Land), Thailand, United Kingdom (Cornwall, Cumbria, Dartmoor/Devon, Derbyshire, Durham, Perthshire, Argyllshire, and Surrey) and in the US from Cheshire, Connecticut, De Kalb, New York, and Fort Wallace, New Mexico.
Barite is mined in Arkansas, Connecticut, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Nevada, and Missouri.

The global production of Barite in 2019 was estimated to be around 9.5 million metric tons, down from 9.8 million metric tons in 2012.
The major barytes producers (in thousand tonnes, data for 2017) are as follows: China (3,600), India (1,600), Morocco (1,000), Mexico (400), United States (330), Iran (280), Turkey (250), Russia (210), Kazakhstan (160), Thailand (130) and Laos (120).

The main users of barytes in 2017 were (in million tonnes) US (2.35), China (1.60), Middle East (1.55), the European Union and Norway (0.60), Russia and CIS (0.5), South America (0.35), Africa (0.25), and Canada (0.20). 70% of barytes was destined for oil and gas well drilling muds. 15% for barium chemicals, 14% for filler applications in automotive, construction, and paint industries, and 1% other applications.

Natural Barite formed under hydrothermal conditions may be associated with quartz or silica.
In hydrothermal vents, the baryte-silica mineralisation can also be accompanied by precious metals.

Uses:
In oil and gas drilling
Worldwide, 69–77% of Barite is used as a weighting agent for drilling fluids in oil and gas exploration to suppress high formation pressures and prevent blowouts. 
As a well is drilled, the bit passes through various formations, each with different characteristics. 
The deeper the hole, the more Barite is needed as a percentage of the total mud mix. 
An additional benefit of Barite is that it is non-magnetic and thus does not interfere with magnetic measurements taken in the borehole, either during logging-while-drilling or in separate drill hole logging. 
Barite used for drilling petroleum wells can be black, blue, brown or gray depending on the ore body. 
The Barite is finely ground so that at least 97% of the material, by weight, can pass through a 200-mesh (75 μm) screen, and no more than 30%, by weight, can be less than 6 μm diameter. 
The ground Barite also must be dense enough so that its specific gravity is 4.2 or greater, soft enough to not damage the bearings of a tricone drill bit, chemically inert, and containing no more than 250 milligrams per kilogram of soluble alkaline salts
In August 2010, the American Petroleum Institute published specifications to modify the 4.2 drilling grade standards for Barite to include 4.1 SG materials.

In oxygen and sulfur isotopic analysis
In the deep ocean, away from continental sources of sediment, pelagic Barite precipitates and forms a significant amount of the sediments. 
Since Barite has oxygen, systematics in the δ18O of these sediments have been used to help constrain paleotemperatures for oceanic crust.

The variations in sulfur isotopes (34S/32S) are being examined in evaporite minerals containing sulfur (e.g. baryte) and carbonate associated sulfates (CAS) to determine past seawater sulfur concentrations which can help identify specific depositional periods such as anoxic or oxic conditions. 
The use of sulfur isotope reconstruction is often paired with oxygen when a molecule contains both elements.

Geochronological dating
Dating the Barite in hydrothermal vents has been one of the major methods to know the ages of hydrothermal vents.
Common methods to date hydrothermal Barite include radiometric dating and electron spin resonance dating.

Other uses
Barite is used in added-value applications which include filler in paint and plastics, sound reduction in engine compartments, coat of automobile finishes for smoothness and corrosion resistance, friction products for automobiles and trucks, radiation shielding concrete, glass ceramics, and medical applications (for example, a barium meal before a contrast CT scan). 
Barite is supplied in a variety of forms and the price depends on the amount of processing, filler applications commanding higher prices following intense physical processing by grinding and micronising, and there are further premiums for whiteness and brightness and color.
Barite is also used to produce other barium chemicals, notably barium carbonate which is used for the manufacture of LED glass for television and computer screens (historically in cathode ray tubes), and for dielectrics.

Historically, Barite was used for the production of barium hydroxide for sugar refining, and as a white pigment for textiles, paper, and paint.

Although Barite contains the toxic alkaline earth metal barium, it is not detrimental for human health, animals, plants and the environment because barium sulfate is extremely insoluble in water.

Barite is also sometimes used as a gemstone.

Industry Uses    
• Adhesives and sealant chemicals
• CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION
• Dyes
• Fillers
• Laboratory chemicals
• Lubricants and lubricant additives
• Oxidizing/reducing agents
• Paint additives and coating additives not described by other categories
• Photosensitive chemicals
• Pigments
• Plating agents and surface treating agents
• Processing aids, not otherwise listed

Consumer Uses
• Adhesives and sealants
• Agricultural products (non-pesticidal)
• Batteries
• Building/construction materials not covered elsewhere
• Contrast agents for X-ray investigations
• Electrical and electronic products
• Industrial Chemicals
• Ink, toner, and colorant products
• Non-TSCA use
• Paints and coatings
• Plastic and rubber products not covered elsewhere
• WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE


Household & Commercial/Institutional Products
• Auto Products
• Hobby/Craft
• Home Maintenance
• Inside the Home
• Personal Care


General Manufacturing Information
Industry Processing Sectors
• Adhesive manufacturing
• All other chemical product and preparation manufacturing
• Construction
• Electrical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing
• Miscellaneous manufacturing
• Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing (includes clay, glass, cement, concrete, lime, gypsum, and other nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing.
• Paint and coating manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing
• Plastic material and resin manufacturing
• Plastics product manufacturing
• Printing and related support activities
• Services
• Synthetic dye and pigment manufacturing
• Transportation equipment manufacturing
• Wholesale and retail trade

Barite, a name that was derived from the Greek word "barus" (heavy), is the mineralogical name for barium sulfate. In commerce, the mineral is sometimes referred to as "barytes."  
Barite serves as the principal Ore of Barium, which is used to make a wide variety of barium compounds.
Barite is well-known for its great range of colors and varied crystal habits. 
Barite is easily identifiable by its heavy weight, since most similar minerals are much lighter.
Mineral Properties
Chemical formula: Barium Sulfate BaSO4
Color(s): Transparent, White, Gray, Yellow, Blue, Red, Brown
Luster: Vitreous, Greasy
Crystal system: Orthorhombic
Transparency: Transparent To Translucent
Specific Gravity: 4.4
Hardness (Mohs): 3–3.5
Location: Barite is widespread in existence.

Because of Barites chemical properties and high specific gravity, it is one of the most amazing minerals used for a range of industrial, medical and manufacturing applications. 
This mineral has many uses from cooling the bits in oil drilling operations, manufacturing of paints and because it is opaque to x-rays, also used for medical applications.


Occurrence and Uses    
Barite is widely distributed in nature and occurs as the mineral barite (also known as barytes or heavy spar). Barite often is associated with other metallic ores, such as fluorspar. 
Barites containing over 94% BaSO4 can be processed economically.
Barite has many commercial applications. 
Barite is used as natural barite, or precipitated BaSO4. 
The precipitated salt in combination with equimolar amount of co-precipitated zinc sulfide formerly was used as a white protective coating pigment, known as lithophone. 
Similarly, in combination with sodium sulfide, it is used to produce fine pigment particles of uniform size, known as blanc fixe. 
Natural barite, however, has greater commercial application than the precipitated salt. 
Barite is used as drilling mud in oil drilling to lubricate and cool the drilling bit, and to plaster the walls of the drill hole to prevent caving. 
Barite is used as a filler in automotive paints, plastics and rubber products. 
Barite also is used in polyurethane foam floor mats; white sidewall rubber tires; and as a flux and additive to glass to increase the refractive index.

Other chemical applications of barium sulfate are as the opaque ingredient in a barium meal for x-ray diagnosis; as a pigment for photographic paper; and to prepare many barium salts.

Preparation    
Barium sulfide is prepared by heating barite with coal or petroleum coke in a rotary kiln at 1,000°C to 1,250°C in an oxygen-free atmosphere:
BaSO4+ 4C——>BaS + 4CO
The product, black ash, is a gray or black powder containing carbonaceous impurities and unreacted barite. 
Barium sulfide is separated from impurities by extraction with hot water and filtration. 
Barite is obtained as an aqueous solution of 15 to 30% strength. The commercial product is 80% to 90% BaS.
Barium sulfide may also be made by high temperature reduction of barium sulfate with methane.
Chemical Properties    Barite is the primary, naturally occurring, barium-based mineral.
Barium, atomic number 56, derives its name from Greek and means heavy. 
Barite is also known as baryte, and in Missouri is known as "tiff”. 
The primary countries in which commercial deposits of barite are currently found are the United States, China, India and Morocco. Barite’s high density and chemical inertness make it an ideal mineral for many applications.
The chemical formula for barite is BaSO4. 
Barite has a high specific gravity of 4.50 g/cm3. 
Its Mohs hardness is 3.0 to 3.5. Barite, which may be found in a variety of colors including yellow, brown, white, blue, gray, or even colorless, typically has a vitreous to pearly luster.
Barite may be found in conjunction with both metallic and nonmetallic mineral deposits.
 To be economically viable for extraction, barite usually needs to be the predominant material in a deposit. 
The types of deposits in which it is normally found include vein, residual, and bedded. Vein and residual deposits are of hydrothermal origin, while bedded deposits are sedimentary.

Occurrence    
Barite is a frequent fluorescent,most commonly displaying a not very saturated or intense light yellow color. 
Barite is found as beautiful and showy crystals in several places in South Dakota, particularly in the area of the Cheyenne and Moreau rivers.
The barite crystals are tan to brown, glassy and transparent. 
Under short wave ultraviolet, these barites fluoresce butter yellow.
Often there is a phosphorescence, usually a strong green-white.
Accompanying calcite also fluoresces yellow, but more orange than the barite, and the combination of barite and calcite makes an attractive fluorescent combination.
Barite is found as white to tan flat crystals standing on fluorite from the Buckskin Mountains, Yuma County, Arizona. 
This barite fluoresces orange-tan under long wave ultraviolet,while the fluorite responds with its usual blue,forming another attractive two-color fluorescent combination.Barite is also found at Bingham, New Mexico, as thick,white, blady crystals with fluorite. In these specimens, the barite fluoresces deep pink or weak red while the fluorite fluoresces blue,under long wave. 
Weak red fluorescing barite with fluorescing fluorite is also found at Elmwood, Tennessee.

Uses:
Barite also is used as a filler, extender, or weighting agent in products such as paints, plastics, and rubber. 
Some specific applications include use in automobile brake and clutch pads, automobile paint primer for metal protection and gloss, use as a weighting agent in rubber, and in the cement jacket around underwater petroleum pipelines.
In the metal-casting industry, barite is part of the mold-release compounds. 
Because barite significantly blocks x-ray and gamma-ray emissions, it is used as aggregate in high-density concrete for radiation shielding around x-ray units in hospitals, nuclear powerplants, and university nuclear research facilities. 
Ultrapure barite is used as a contrast medium in x-ray and computed tomography examinations of the gastrointestinal tract.

Barite is the primary, naturally occurring, barium-based mineral.  Barium, atomic number 56, derives its name from Greek and means heavy.  
Barite is also known as baryte, and in Missouri is known as "tiff”.  
The primary countries in which commercial deposits of barite are currently found are the United States, China, India and Morocco.  
Barite’s high density and chemical inertness make it an ideal mineral for many applications.

The chemical formula for barite is BaSO4.  Barite has a high specific gravity of 4.50 g/cm3.  Its Mohs hardness is 3.0 to 3.5.  
Barite, which may be found in a variety of colors including yellow, brown, white, blue, gray, or even colorless, typically has a vitreous to pearly luster. 

Barite may be found in conjunction with both metallic and nonmetallic mineral deposits.  
To be economically viable for extraction, barite usually needs to be the predominant material in a deposit.  
The types of deposits in which it is normally found include vein, residual, and bedded.  
Vein and residual deposits are of hydrothermal origin, while bedded deposits are sedimentary.

Major deposits in the United States have been found in Georgia, Missouri, Nevada and Tennessee.  
In Canada, the mineral has been mined in the Yukon Territory, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.  
In Mexico, barite deposits have been discovered in Hermosillo, Pueblo, Monterrey and Durango.

Drilling Industry: 
The overwhelming majority of the barite that is mined is used by the petroleum industry as a weighting material in the formulation of drilling mud.  
Barite increases the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud allowing it to compensate for high-pressure zones experienced during drilling.  
The softness of the mineral also prevents it from damaging drilling tools during drilling and enables it to serve as a lubricant.  
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has established specifications for the use of barite in drilling mud.

Medical Industry: 
An application where many people have heard of barite is within the medical field.  
A high-purity form of barite is used in the gastrointestinal tract where its density prevents x-ray penetration, and thus is visible on an x-ray.  
The outline of the gastrointestinal tract thus becomes visible allowing the determination of normal and abnormal anatomy.

Other Uses: 
Barite is also used in a wide variety of other applications including plastics, clutch pads, rubber mudflaps, mold release compounds, radiation shielding, television and computer monitors, sound-deadening material in automobiles, traffic cones, brake linings, paint and golf balls.


Barite is a mineral composed of barium sulfate (BaSO4). 
Barite receives its name from the Greek word "barys" which means "heavy." 
This name is in response to barite's high specific gravity of 4.5, which is exceptional for a nonmetallic mineral. 
The high specific gravity of barite makes it suitable for a wide range of industrial, medical, and manufacturing uses. 
Barite also serves as the principal ore of barium.

Barite Occurrence
Barite often occurs as concretions and void-filling crystals in sediments and sedimentary rocks. 
Barite is especially common as concretions and vein fillings in limestone and dolostone. 
Where these carbonate rock units have been heavily weathered, large accumulations of barite are sometimes found at the soil-bedrock contact. 
Many of the commercial barite mines produce from these residual deposits.

Barite is also found as concretions in sand and sandstone. 
These concretions grow as barite crystallizes within the interstitial spaces between sand grains. 
Sometimes crystals of barite grow into interesting shapes within the sand. 
These structures are known as "barite roses" (see photo). 
They can be up to several inches in length and incorporate large numbers of sand grains. 
Occasionally barite is so abundant in a sandstone that it serves as the "cement" for the rock.

Barite is also a common mineral in hydrothermal veins and is a gangue mineral associated with sulfide ore veins. 
Barite is found in association with ores of antimony, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, and silver. 
In a few locations barite is deposited as a sinter at hot springs.


Physical Properties of Barite
Barite is generally easy to identify. 
Barite is one of just a few nonmetallic minerals with a specific gravity of four or higher. 
Combine that with its low Mohs hardness (2.5 to 3.5) and its three directions of right-angle cleavage, and the mineral can usually be reliably identified with just three observations.

In the classroom, students often have difficulty identifying specimens of massive barite with fine-grained crystals. 
They look at the specimen, see the sugary appearance, correctly attribute it to cleavage, and apply a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid. 
The mineral effervesces and they think that they have calcite or a piece of marble. 
The problem is that the effervescence is caused by contamination. 
The students tested the hardness of the barite with a piece of calcite from their hardness kit. 
Or the specimen of barite can naturally contain calcite. 
However, any student who tests the specific gravity will discover that calcite or marble are incorrect identifications.

Barite is also a good mineral to use when teaching about specific gravity. 
Give students several white mineral specimens that are about the same size (we suggest calcite, quartz, barite, talc, gypsum). 
Students should be able to easily identify barite using the "heft test" (placing Specimen "A" in their right hand and Specimen "B" in their left hand and "hefting" the specimens to determine which one is heaviest). 
Students in third or fourth grade are capable of using the heft test to identify barite.

Uses of Barite
Most barite produced is used as a weighting agent in drilling muds. 
This is what 99% of the barite consumed in the United States is used for. 
These high-density muds are pumped down the drill stem, exit through the cutting bit and return to the surface between the drill stem and the wall of the well. 
This flow of fluid does two things: 
1) it cools the drill bit; and, 
2) the high-density barite mud suspends the rock cuttings produced by the drill and carries them up to the surface.

Barite is also used as a pigment in paints and as a weighted filler for paper, cloth and rubber. 
The paper used to make some playing cards has barite packed between the paper fibers. 
This gives the paper a very high density that allows the cards to be "dealt" easily to players around a card table. 
Barite is used as a weighting filler in rubber to make "anti-sail" mudflaps for trucks.

Barite is the primary ore of barium, which is used to make a wide variety of barium compounds. 
Some of these are used for x-ray shielding. Barite has the ability to block x-ray and gamma-ray emissions. 
Barite is used to make high-density concrete to block x-ray emissions in hospitals, power plants, and laboratories.

Barite compounds are also used in diagnostic medical tests. 
If a patient drinks a small cup of liquid that contains a barium powder in a milkshake consistency, the liquid will coat the patient's esophagus. 
An x-ray of the throat taken immediately after the "barium swallow" will image the soft tissue of the esophagus (which is usually transparent to x-rays) because the barium is opaque to x-rays and blocks their passage. 
A "barium enema" can be used in a similar way to image the shape of the colon.

Barite Production

The oil and gas industry is the primary user of barite worldwide. 
There it is used as a weighting agent in drilling mud. 
This is a growth industry, as global demand for oil and natural gas has been on a long-term increase. 
In addition, the long-term drilling trend is more feet of drilling per barrel of oil produced.

This has caused the price of barite to increase. 
Price levels during 2012 were between 10% and 20% higher than 2011 in many important markets. 
The typical price of drilling mud barite is about $150 per metric ton at the mine.

Substitutes for barite in drilling mud include celestite, ilmenite, iron ore, and synthetic hematite. 
None of these substitutes have been effective at displacing barite in any major market area. 
They are too expensive or do not perform competitively.

China and India are the leading producers of barite, and they also have the largest reserves. 
The United States does not produce enough barite to supply its domestic needs. 
In 2011 the United States produced about 700,000 metric tons of barite and imported about 2,300,000 metric tons.


Color    
Colorless, white, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, brown, blue, green, gray, and black. May also be multicolored and banded.

Crystal Forms and Aggregates    
Crystals are tabular, prismatic, and as grainy, platy, and coxcomb aggregates. 
Individual crystals are often twinned, and can be quite large. 
May also be bladed, massive, nodular, fibrous, stalactitic, and as perfect rosettes. Crystals occasionally contain phantom growths.


Barite or Barite (BaSO>4) is a natural mineral consisting of barium and sulfate. 
The mineral is abundant around the world but is rarely in economically high concentrations. 
Scotland has two known economical sources; Foss Mine and Duntanlich mine.

The mineral characteristics of Barite are:

Hardness 3-3.5 (Mohs)
Pure Barite Density 4.48t/m3
Duntanlich Barite Density range 4.15 to 4.3t/m3
Colour- Light Grey
Uses of Barite
77% of barite is used in the oil and gas industry as a weighting agent in exploration drilling.

Barite can also be used in:

heavy aggregate for multiple uses within the construction industry.
radiation-shielding concrete e.g. for X-ray rooms
fillers in paint and plastics
sound reduction in engine compartments
friction products for automobiles and trucks
glass ceramics
medical applications e.g. a barium meal before a CAT scan.
oil and gas industry.


The mineral barite (barium sulfate), also known as barytes, is most commonly found in hydrothermal veins and as veins in limestone. Barite is very dense (it has a high specific gravity) and is relatively soft. 
Those properties make it an excellent weighting agent in drilling muds for petroleum wells. 
In fact, worldwide, oil and gas drilling account for 85 to 90 percent of barite consumption. 
In the U.S., about 95 percent of barite is used by petroleum well-drilling markets; the remaining 5 percent in such industrial end uses as barium chemicals (which, for example, a person might drink prior to a medical procedure), filler in paint and plastics, powder coatings, friction products such as brake pads for cars and trucks, and heavy aggregate for radiation shielding.

Drilling mud is a suspension, generally aqueous, that is pumped down through the drill pipe to remove rock cuttings and to lubricate the drill bit in rotary drilling. 
Barite is added to increase the mud’s specific gravity, which maintains the hydrostatic equilibrium, preventing gas, oil or saltwater from entering from high-pressure zones. 
Barite intended for this market must meet specifications set by the American Petroleum Institute, which set limits on size, specific gravity and soluble alkaline salt content.


Barite (BaSO4) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate. 
Barite is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of barium. 
Barite is the British spelling. The radiating form is also sometimes refered to as Bologna Stone.

Barite commonly occurs in lead-zinc veins in limestones, in hot spring deposits, and with hematite ore. Barite is often associated with the minerals anglesite and celestite.

Its name is derived from the Greek word barus (heavy). In commerce, the mineral is sometimes referred to as “barytes.” The term “primary barite” refers to the first marketable product, which includes crude barite (run of mine) and the products of simple beneficiation methods, such as washing, jigging, heavy media separation, tabling, flotation, and magnetic separation. 
Most crude barite requires some upgrading to minimum purity or density. Barite that is used as an aggregate in a “heavy” cement is crushed and screened to a uniform size.
Most of it is ground to a small, uniform size before it is used as a filler or extender, an addition to industrial products, or a weighting agent in petroleum well drilling mud specification barite.

Barite has also been used in the manufacture of paints and paper. 
Although it contains a “heavy” metal (barium), it is not considered to be a toxic chemical by most governments because of its extreme insolubility.


Mohs hardness is 3.
Refractive index is 1.63.
Specific gravity is 4.3-5.
Crystal structure is orthorhombic.


Barite is the most common mineral composed of barium and sulfate, which usually occurs naturally in sedimentary rocks, hydrothermal ore veins, as well as in marine deposits. 
Owing to the versatile properties of this mineral, it is widely utilized for a range of industrial, automobile, and medical sector. 
Barite is also used as a weighting agent in the gas & oil industry. 
This mineral is used in medical applications for x-rays and gamma rays, in oil drilling operations for cooling the bits, and also manufacturing of paints.

The Applications of Barite in Different Industries
The analyst of Research Dive states that the use of barite is progressively gaining importance in many industrial sectors. 
One of the leading industrial barium sulfates manufactures in the United States, Excalibar Minerals LLC, introduced ExBAr HD Series of Barium Sulfate. 
According to the report, the ExBar HD series provides a very high density that contributes to radiation blocking, improved adhesion, and exceptional noise deadening.

The different industries relying on barite are listed below.

Painting Industry
Barite is a great replacement to expensive materials that are used for painting. 
Barite is a wonderful replacement to crypton, basofor, monox, and titanium dioxide, which are used for filling. 
The mineral is also very helpful in regulating the thickness of the paint, and also very effective in increasing the stability of the paint that adds more brightness to the color.

Barite is used as an extender for primers as it provides a very clean whiteness. 
Barite is extremely useful in giving smoothness to chemical resistance to the walls and undercoats, which gives beautiful smooth walls. 
Barite has high resistance to alkalis, acids, and high refractive index and bulk density, which makes it the high on demand mineral in the paint industry.

Plastic Industry
Barite is used in the plastic industry as a filler to create colorful plastics, as it is very effective in improving the intensity, stiffness, and abrasive strength. This makes the plastic attractive in appearance and stronger in strength.

Paper-Making Industry
In paper-making industry, barite is used for its pure white color. White coat paper and paperboards are filled with highly refined barite powder, which improves the whiteness of the product. 
The mineral when used in paper-making also increases the percentage of exposure, and hence the pure white look.

Barite is also used as weighted filler for cloth, rubber, paper and also used as a pigment in paints. 
Additionally, it is also filled between the playing cards between the paper fibers that gives the paper a very high density. 
This makes the cards easy to play around the card table for the players.

Rubber Industry
Barite minerals when used for less than 500 mesh for filling reduces the cost at a certain level for the rubber products. 
This increases the life of the rubber product as the product becomes waterproof and its durability increases as well. 
The strength of the product increases making it resistant to alkali and acid.

Pharmaceutical Industry
Barite is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.
 Barite is used a filler for plaster and also used to extend the time limit of plaster. In addition, the mineral is also used as barium meal material for intestine and stomach reflections. 
Barites are also very effective in blocking gamma rays and x-rays emission in laboratories, power plants, and hospitals.

Barite is also helpful in diagnostic medical tests. 
For instance, if a patient is given a small cup of liquid containing barium powder before taking an X-ray, the liquid will cover the patient’s esophagus. Since barium is opaque in nature, immediately after swallowing the barium liquid, a soft tissue image of the esophagus will be seen.

Cosmetics Industry
Barite has a mild and gentle effect when applied on the skin and hence it is very popular in the cosmetics industry. 
Titanium oxide is an expensive mineral, which makes barite an amazing substitute in the cosmetic industry.


Barite or Barite is a mineral containing barium sulfate. 
Its name is originally derived from the Greek word “barys” meaning “heavy”. 
This mineral belongs to the Barite Mineral Group along with anglesite, celestine and anhydrite. 
Barite has quite a beautiful appearance. 
This mineral ore is also known as Heavy Spar, Barytine, Schwerspath, Barytite and Baryte. 
Barite is the main source of barium. 
Aggregates of barite and sand is called rose rock which appears reddish in due to its iron content. 
It’s commonly known as barite rose.

Barite Distinguishing Characteristic
The unusually high specific gravity of this light colored mineral is the main distinguishing feature. 
Barite can also be identified by its insolubility in acid. 
Barite can be distinguished from anhydrite and celestite by its orange fluorescence and the green flames that results in flame tests. 
Its crystal shape, cleavages and lack of fluorite fluorescence differentiate it from fluorites.

Barite Composition
This barium sulfate mineral contains:

Barium oxide (BaO): 65.7%

Sulfur trioxide (SO3): 34.3%


Barite Chemical Formula
The chemical formula for this mineral is BaSO4.

Barite Properties
Here are some basic properties of this material:

Appearance: Barite has a transparent crystalline appearance.
Color: Its color may vary from colorless to white and light shades of yellow, blue, brown and grey.
Molecular Weight: The molecular weight of this material is 233.4 grams per mole.
Density: The density of Barite is 4.48 g/ cm3.
Solubility: Barite is almost insoluble in water.
Crystal System: Barite has orthorhombic crystal system.
Crystal Habit: Tabular parallel to base, fibrous, nodular to massive
Fracture: Barite has irregular and uneven fracture.
Hardness: The hardness of this mineral ranges between 3 and 3.5 on Mohs scale.
Luster: Barite crystals have vitreous pearly luster.
Specific Gravity: The specific gravity of Barite is somewhere between 4.3 and 5.
Streak: Barite has white streak.
Tenacity: The tenacity of this crystalline mineral is brittle.
Diaphaneity: Barite has transparent to opaque diaphaneity.
Optical Properties: Biaxial positive
Refractive Index: nα = 1.634–1.637; nβ = 1.636–1.638; nγ = 1.646–1.648
Birefringence: 0.012
Fusibility: Barite has fusibility of 4. Barite produces yellowish-green barium flames.

Barite Uses
This mineral ore has many important industrial and commercial uses such as:

A major amount (77%) of the total Barite found is used as weighting agent for drilling muds. 
The non-magnetic properties of this material make it more useful for this purpose as it does not interfere with the magnetic measurements of the borehole during the whole process.
Blue, black, gray or brown Barite is widely used for petroleum well drilling. 
The applicable Barite color is selected depending on the ore body.
This is the main ore of barium metal.
Barite is also used as paint and plastic filler.
Barite is applied for sound reduction in various engine compartments.
This mineral is used for making smooth and corrosion resistant coat of trucks and automobiles.
Barite is used in radiation shielding cements and glass ceramics.
This mineral also has medical applications. 
Barite is used for a barium meal or an upper gastrointestinal series before doing a contrast CAT scan.
This mineral was used for producing barium hydroxide for the purpose of sugar refining.
Historically it was also used as a pigment for paper, textiles, and paint.


Barite (or baryte) is an important industrial mineral of composition BaSO4. 
Barite used extensively in the oil industry as a weighting agent for drilling muds.  
For many uses barites must meet strict criteria for example specific gravity (relative density), and trace element composition.

Barite is a mineral that comprises barium sulfate (BaSO4).
 Barite is usually colorless or milky white, but can be almost any color, depending on the impurities trapped in the crystals during their formation. Barite is relatively soft, measuring measures only 3 to 3.5 on the Moh's scale of hardness. 
Despite its softness, it is unusually heavy for a nonmetallic mineral. The high density is responsible for its value in many applications. 
Barite is chemically inert and insoluble. 
The most important commercial barite deposits are found in bedded sedimentary rocks. 
These types of deposits are mined in the United States in Arkansas and Nevada. 
Barite is mined in about 20 countries worldwide; China is the largest producer. 
The United States produces about one-fourth of its annual requirements. 
Nearly 98% of the barite used in the United States is as a weighting agent in oil- and gas-well drilling fluids. 
Because it significantly reduces X-rays (looks opaque on X-ray film), barium is used in medicine to diagnose gastrointestinal problems.

Uses
By far, the principal use for barite is as a "weighting agent" in oil and natural gas drilling. In this process, barite is crushed and mixed with water and other materials. 
Barite is then pumped into the drill hole. The weight of this mixture counteracts the force of the oil and gas when it is released from the ground.
This allows the oil and gas rig operators to prevent the explosive release of the oil and gas from the ground. 
Currently, the majority of barite consumption in the United States is for this drilling application. 
However, the consumption in drilling "mud" fluctuates from year to year, as it is dependent on the amount of exploration drilling for oil and gas, which in turn depends on oil and gas prices.

Beyond this, barite is used as an additive to paints, enamels, and plastics, in the production of so-called "lead" crystal or "leaded" glassglass, stops radiation from computer monitors and television tubes, and as the source of barium chemicals.

Barite has the unique ability to strongly absorb X-rays and gamma rays. 
Consequently, it is used in medical science for special X-ray tests on the intestines and colon. 
Barite is also mixed with cement to make special containers used to store radioactive materials. 
A more recent application of barite is in the production of brake pads and clutches for cars and trucks.

Barite (British spelling Baryte), also called heavy spar, is a mineral that is widely distributed around the globe. 
Chemically, it consists of crystals of barium sulfate (BaSO4). 
The pure crystals are white or colorless, but the mineral acquires various colors based on impurities it contains.


his mineral is the main source of barium and its compounds. 
When crushed, it is used as an aggregate in a "heavy" cement, and the finely ground material is used as a filler in such products as paper, textiles, plastics, and rubber. In addition, it is an ingredient in paints and in a type of mud used for sealing petroleum wells during drilling.

Occurrence
Barite commonly occurs in lead-zinc veins in limestones, in hot spring deposits, and with hematite ore. 
Barite is often associated with the minerals anglesite and celestine.

Etymology and History
The name barite is derived from the Greek word βαρύς, meaning "heavy." 
The radiating form, sometimes referred to as Bologna Stone, attained some notoriety among alchemists for the phosphorescent specimens found in the 1600s near Bologna, Italy by Vincenzo Cascariolo.

Characteristics
Barite has an orthorhombic crystal structure. 
Barite is practically insoluble in water and in most other chemical reagents. 
Barite has a Mohs hardness of three. Its refractive index is 1.63, its specific gravity is in the range of 4.3-5. 
Under arid, sandy conditions, crystals of barite (or gypsum) may form a rosette structure embedded with sand grains, and this structure is colloquially referred to as a desert rose.

Production
In commerce, the mineral is sometimes referred to as "barytes." 
The first marketable product, called primary barite, includes crude barite (run of mine) and the products of simple treatments such as washing, jigging, separation of heavy media, tabling, flotation, and magnetic separation. 
Most crude barite requires some upgrading to minimum purity or density.

Uses:
Barite is the main source of barium and its compounds. 
Barite may be used as an aggregate in a "heavy" cement, for which it is crushed and screened to a uniform size. 
Most barite is ground to a small, uniform size and then used as a filler in the production of such goods as paper, textiles, linoleum, rubber, and plastics. 
In addition, it is used in paints and in a special type of mud for sealing petroleum wells in the course of drilling.

Barite (spelled also baryte) is a barium-bearing mineral (BaSO4).
Barite is mined both as an industrial mineral and as an ore of barium. 
This is somewhat unusual situation. Another well-known mineral mined as an ore and industrial mineral is zircon. 
Barite as the main barium-bearing phase in the crust is not uncommon mineral.

Barite is usually quite close to ideal composition although solid solution to celestine (SrSO4) is possible. 
Pure mineral is colorless, white or gray, but impurities (mainly iron compounds but also sulfides and organic matter) often give it slight yellowish or reddish hue. 
Blue coloration is usually due to radiation by radium atoms (Ra may replace Ba in the crystal structure because they are similar in size).

Barite may occur in well-formed crystals grown in hydrothermal veins. In these veins it is often accompanied by galena and sphalerite — lead and zinc ores, respectively. 
Other minerals that commonly occur with Barite are pyrite, quartz, fluorite, carbonates and other sulfidic ore minerals.

In the majority of cases it is found in various mineral aggregates. 
The most notable ones are platy and intergrown rosettes which are called desert roses or barite roses (gypsum also forms similar rosettes). 
Barite from sedimentary rocks may resemble marble – light-colored, massive and crystalline, but it is easily recognizable by its weight. 
Barite is strikingly heavy (specific gravity about 4.5) for a mineral without metallic appearance (even the name Barite itself comes from Greek barys which means heavy). 
Crystals may be mistaken for feldspar, but again weight gives it away and it is also significantly softer mineral (hardness about 3 on Mohs scale). 
Calcite and barite crystals may look alike, but calcite reacts vigorously with dilute HCl while barite does not react. Barite also occurs in various sedimentary rocks as cavity-filling concretions. 
Barite may be a residual mineral in clayey sediments in weathered limestones (limestone dissolved and carried away, insoluble barite and clay left behind). 
Barite may be a cementing mineral in sandstones.

Barite is the principal ore of barium. Barium has very high number of applications. 
Barite is known to have more than 2000 industrial uses. 
However, the majority of barite mined is not used to extract barium. 
Barite is valuable in its native form because of high density. Barite is mostly used by oil & gas industry as an ingredient of drilling mud. 
This slurry is pumped into the drill stem to prevent gas and other fluids from entering the wellbore during drilling operations. 
The drilling mud also lubricates and cools the drilling bit and carries rock cuttings back to the surface, but that could be accomplished by any drilling fluid. 
Barite is added to the mud only to increase its density.


IUPAC NAMES:
Barite
Barite (Ba(SO4))
BARIUM SULFATE
Barium sulfate
Barium(2+) ion sulfate


SYNONYMS:
BARIUM SULFATE
7727-43-7
Barite
Baritop
Barite (Ba(SO4))
Barosperse
Barotrast
Esophotrast
Liquipake
Macropaque
Micropaque
Microtrast
Radiobaryt
Radiopaque
Barytes
Barium sulphate
EntroBar
EneMark
EneCat
Blanc fixe
Enamel White
Readi-CAT
E-Z-Paque
Pigment White 22
Baryte
13462-86-7
Sulfuric acid, barium salt (1:1)
C.I. Pigment White 21
barium(2+);sulfate
BaSO4
BARIMITE-XF
UNII-25BB7EKE2E
CI 77120
25BB7EKE2E
MFCD00003455
Colonatrast
Liquibarine
Actybaryte
Bakontal
Baraflave
Baricon
Baridol
Barobag
Barocat
Barodense
Baroloid
Barytgen
Baryxine
Basofor
Bayrites
Citobaryum
Danobaryt
Finemeal
Intropaque
Lactobaryt
Microbar
Microfanox
Mixobar
Neobalgin
Novopaque
Oesobar
Oratrast
Polibar
Supramike
Suspobar
Tixobar
Tonopaque
Topcontral
Unibaryt
Eweiss
Neobar
Raybar
Travad
Rugar
Barii sulphas
PrepCat
Baryx Colloidal
Barium Andreu
EneSet
Gastropaque-S
HiTone
Liquid Polibar
Radimix Colon
Baritogen deluxe
Baryta White
Mikabarium B
Mikabarium F
Recto Barium
Barosperse II
Micropaque RD
Radio-Baryx
Sparkle Granules
Umbrasol A
Artificial barite
Baritop P
Barium sulfuricum
Redi-Flow
Bar-Test
Gel-Unix
Liquid Barosperse
Unit-Pak
Mixture III
Baritop G Powder
E-Z Preparations
Esopho-CAT
Ultra-R
Veri-O-Pake
X-Opac
Barosperse 110
Sol-O-Pake
TomoCat Concentrate
Liquid E-Z-Paque
Barytes 22
Epi-C
Liquid Polibar Plus
Liquid Sol-O-Pake
Artificial heavy spar
Baritop 100
Baryum (sulfate de)
E-Z-Cat Concentrate
Readi-CAT 2
Barium 100
Epi-Stat 57
Epi-Stat 61
BF 10 (sulfate)
Caswell No. 071B
CI Pigment white 21
TonoJug 2000
Barium sulphate, natural
Barii sulfas
Barium sulfate (1:1)
Barium sulfate (BaSO4)
HD 200 Plus


 

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