Barite (baryte)

Barite is a dense, usually white or colourless mineral made of barium sulphate. Both spellings, barite and baryte, are correct. It is the main source of barium and is valued for its high density, softness and chemical inertness.

Most of the world's barite is used as a weighting agent in drilling fluids. The rest goes into paints and coatings, plastics, rubber and other products that need a dense, inert, white filler. Barite belongs to a group of sulphate minerals that also includes celestine, anglesite and anhydrite.

Related terms

• Barium sulphate
• Celestine
• Weighting agent
• Specific gravity

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