2024-03-08
Barite Mineral Field Guide
Barite or baryte (BaSO4) is a sulfate mineral that gets its name from the Greek word “barys” which means “heavy.” Barite’s claim to fame is its high specific gravity of 4.5, which ranks it among the heaviest nonmetallic minerals. Said another way, barite weighs 4.5 times as much as an equal volume of water. This heaviness or density accounts for its usefulness and economic importance.