Barytes [also known as barite, barites, baryte, heavy spar] is the name of the barium sulphate [BaSO4] mineral that is of particular commercial importance for a number of industrial applications.

In its purest form, Baryte contains 59% Barium and 41% Sulphate, with a Specific Gravity of 4.5. Barites has a number of characteristics - such as brightness, color, specific gravity, particle shape etc - that makes it a much sought after raw material for industrial use.

The high specific gravity, make barytes of commercial interest in oil and gas exploration to control gas pressures and cool drill bit temperatures. Additionally, the minerals ability to absorb radiation finds use in medicine, and radiation shielding in concrete and bricks. In glass making barytes acts as an oxidizing agent and reduces foam and control color. Its brightness and low particle size allows barites to be used in paints and coatings. Whilst its inertness, weight and particle shape make it a useful raw material in rubber, polymer applications.

Industrial processing methods depend on the final use and application of Barite, i.e. drilling grades may only require crushing, grinding, screening and milling, whereas higher purity and lower particle size barytes products require floatation, bleaching and wet grinding.

Production is dominated by China, india an Morocco - though there are many other deposits and manufacturing plants throughout the world, including Europe and the UK. typically there are four types - filler, glass, chemical and oil drilling grades.

Synonyms

• BARITE
• HEAVY SPAR
• BARIUM SULPHATE
• BLANC FIXE
• LITHOPONE

CHARACTERISTICS

• BaSO4 >90%
• Refractive Index 1.64 - 1.65
• Specific Gravity 4.5
• Mohs hardness 3.0 - 3.5
• Grading - depends on use

Barytes is a versatile mineral with a variety of uses and benefits for the modern day industry :-

• As a weighting, cooling agent in drilling fluids,
• As a defoamer and de-colorizer in glass,
• As an extender in paints and coatings,
• In polymers, rubbers, PVC, urethanes,
• In radiation shielding and medicine,
• As a filler in brake linings and clutches,

Features and benefits -

• High specific gravity ,
• Radiation absorption,
• Chemical inertness,
• Color and brightness,
• Oxidizing agent ,
• Isometric particle shape ,