Barite, a highly versatile mineral with essential properties, serves as a fundamental component for a multitude of global industries. In this blog, TLD Vietnam aims to delve into the extensive realm of barite, examining its origins, characteristics and wide-ranging applications in numerous fields.
The Basic Definition
Barite is the most common mineral composed of barium and sulfate. Its chemical formula is BaSO4. Typically appearing white or colorless, it serves as the primary source of barium.
Its name originates from the Greek term “barus”. In commerce, it’s occasionally referred to “barite.” The term “primary barite” refers to the initial marketable product, which includes crude barite (run of mine) and the products of basic beneficiation methods, such as washing, jigging, heavy media separation, tabling, flotation and magnetic separation.
Many crude barite necessitate some upgrading to minimum purity or density.
Barite Occurrence
Barite frequently appears in lead-zinc veins within limestone formations, as well as in deposits found in hot springs and alongside hematite ore. It is often associated with the minerals anglesite and celestite.
Additionally, it occurs as concretions and void-filling crystals in sediments and sedimentary rocks as well. Notably, it’s prevalent as concretions and vein fillings particularly in limestone and dolostone formations. Substantial accumulations of it may be discovered at the interface between soil and bedrock. Many of the commercial barite mines produce from these residual deposits.
Barite is additionally present as concretions within sand and sandstone formations. These concretions develop as barite crystals form within the gaps within sand.
On the other hand, it is frequently found in hydrothermal veins and acts as a gangue mineral alongside sulfide ore veins. It is found in association with ores of antimony, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, and silver. In some areas, it is deposited as a sinter at hot springs.
At times, barite crystals grow into fascinating shapes within the sand, known as “barite roses.” These structures can reach several inches in length and contain numerous sand grains. In some instances, this mineral is so abundant in sandstone that it serves as the “cement” for the rock.
Exploring other minerals here
The Crystal Structure
Barite’s chemical formula is BaSO4 – barium sulfate. It typically includes some amounts of strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), and lead (Pb). This mineral forms rombic crystals and shares a similar structure with anglesite and celestine. Occasionally, it’s found with strontium incorporated into its composition.
Barite commonly takes the shape of tabular crystals, prismatic crystals, as well as platy, grainy, or coxcomb-shaped . Sometimes, it is nodular or fibrous, or it may form massive growths or become stalactitic. A notable characteristic highly esteemed by collectors is its propensity to form exquisite flower-shaped rosettes, making it a prized addition to mineral collections.
Physical Properties Of Barite
Barite is typically easy to identify due to its distinctive characteristics. It is one of just a few nonmetallic minerals with a specific gravity of four or higher.
One typical property of barite is its high density, typically measuring around 4.5 g/cm3, making it easy to distinguish from many similar minerals based on its weight. It can come in various different colors, including white, orange, yellow, pink, red, brown, purple, green, blue, black, and gray. It has a pearly or vitreous luster and may be opaque or transparent.
With a relatively soft texture, it registers at approximately 3 to 3.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness while its streak is consistently white.
Barite is quite brittle and it has perfect cleavage in two directions. Sometimes, this mineral is UV fluorescent.
Similar minerals include barrie’s close cousins, celestine (SrSO4) and anglesite (PbSO4). Distinguishing these might be a daunting task. White or pink massive barite may bear a resemblance to massive K-feldspar, but it is much heavier and softer. Barite is often accompanied by fluorite. However, fluorite can be much lighter.
The Applications In Different Industries
The analysis of several articles reveals that the usage is progressively gaining popularity in many industrial sectors. The different industries are listed below.
Construction
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.
Painting industry
It can be seen as an excellent alternative to costly materials commonly employed in painting applications. It 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 paint thickness. Plus, it is also very effective in enhancing the stability of the paint that adds more brightness to the color.
Barite is used as an extender for primers due to its ability to provide a very clean whiteness. It contributes to the smoothness to chemical resistance to the walls and undercoats. With its exceptional resistance to alkalis, acids, and high refractive index, as well as its high bulk density, it emerges as a highly sought-after mineral in the paint industry.
Barite is also used as a pigment when it comes in paints and as a weighted filler for paper, cloth and rubber. In the production of certain playing cards, barite is incorporated between paper fibers to significantly increase the paper’s density, enabling smooth card dealing.
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 appealing in appearance and stronger in strength.
The application in the plastic industry can be seen as a filler, enhancing the vibrancy, rigidity, and abrasive strength of plastic products. This makes the plastic appealing in appearance and stronger in strength.
Paper-making industry
In paper-making industry, barite is valued for its pristine white color. White coat paper and paperboards are filled with highly refined barite powder to enhance the whiteness.
Furthermore, the inclusion of it in paper-making processes augments the level of surface exposure, thereby intensifying the pure white appearance of the final product.
Rubber industry
Barite minerals when used for less than 500 mesh for filling can lead to cost reduction to a certain level for the rubber products. This not only enhances the durability and waterproofing of the rubber item but also increases its longevity. The strength of the product increases making it resistant to alkali and acid.
Pharmaceutical industry
This kind of mineral plays a significant role in the pharmaceutical industry, serving various purposes. It is used as a filler for plaster and also used to extend the time limit of plaster. Moreover, the mineral is also used as barium meal material for intestine and stomach reflections.
Cosmetics industry
It is favored in the cosmetics industry for its gentle and mild effects on the skin, serving as a popular alternative to the costly mineral titanium oxide.
Other applications
Owing to the versatile characteristics of this mineral, it is widely utilized for a range of sectors. It can be used as a weighting agent in the gas & oil industry. This mineral is used in medical applications for x-rays and gamma rays and in oil drilling operations for cooling the bits as well.
The majority of barite production is dedicated to serving as a weighting agent in drilling muds, constituting approximately 99% of its usage in the United States. These high-density muds are injected into the drill stem during drilling operations, facilitating efficient extraction processes.
The Market Scenario
The past few years has witnessed a high demand for barite in so many areas.
Currently, the global market is experiencing rapid growth and is poised for further expansion in the coming years. According to a report by Research Dive, it is estimated that the global market will generate revenue of $4,316.7 million, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% expected during the forecast period.
The increasing global demand for energy is a key driver behind the growth of this mineral. Governments worldwide are also taking initiatives in improving the minerals quality, which will boost the market growth.
By the early 21st century, China and India take the leading role in producing barite. Besides, significant amounts of this mineral are being mined by the United States, Morocco and Iran.
Conclusion
To sum up, Barite stands as a mineral of immense importance and versatility, driving progress across a myriad of industries worldwide. As global demand for energy rises and governments prioritize mineral quality improvement initiatives, the market of this mineral is expected for significant growth.
However, challenges such as competition from alternative materials persist. Nonetheless, with its unique properties and diverse applications, it still holds a true value among numerous minerals on a global scale.
