2024-03-08
Barite production and consumption
The mineral barite (barium sulfate), also known as barytes, is most commonly found in hydrothermal veins and as veins in limestone. It is very dense (it has a high specific gravity) and is relatively soft. Those properties make it an excellent weighting agent in drilling muds for petroleum wells. In fact, worldwide, oil and gas drilling account for 85 to 90 percent of barite consumption.