BARITE

Barite (BaSO4) is the most common mineral of Barium. It occurs as a vein filling and as a gangue mineral in silver, zinc, copper, nickel and lead ores. It is colourless or white, often tinged with yellow, red, brown or bluish. Barite is used in the production of wallpaper and asbestos goods as well as in the manufacture of white paint.
Barite (barium sulphate) is a fairly common heavy mineral that often occurs in Pb-Zn ore deposits as a gangue mineral, in sedimentary deposits, and rarely in basalts. When found in sufficient quantity, it is mined for it’s barium content. It occurs either in crystalline form, as tabular, prismatic, or bladed crystals, sometimes as a “cockscomb” habit, or else massive. It is often colourless, cream-coloured or white, but may also be yellow, blue, pink or brown.
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.”
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 barite is ground to a small, uniform size before it is used as filler or extender, an addition to industrial products, or a weighting agent in petroleum well drilling mud specification barite. Although barite contains a “heavy” metal (barium), it is not a toxic chemical under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, because it is very insoluble.