Barite
Barite (Barium Sulfate) is one of the most important minerals possessing barium which is found in the shape of layer, stratum or deposited. Due to its heaviness, chemical neutrality, softness and low cost, this substance is used in drilling in ceramic industry it is used for making the melted substance homogeneous, reduction of bubbles and brightness of the product likewise, in paint, plastics, paper and rubber industries it is used as filling substance.
Due to minimum oil absorption, it possesses good filling quality and does not cause the increase of viscosity in the system of paint. Its other qualities include preservation of brightness of paint on the surface, creation of abrasive condition in under-paint and neutrality.
Barite usually replaces other minerals and even it can replace the organic materials such as wood, shells and fossils. It sometimes forms tufacious mounds from deposition of hot, barium-rich springs. It is isomorphous and very similar in shape with the mineral Celestine, and may partially replace it.
Applications
A huge quantity of mined barite is normally used in petroleum industry as a part of weighting material in formulation of drilling mud.
Hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud is increased by Barite allowing it to compensate for high-pressure zones experienced while drilling.
The softness of the mineral also prevents it from making damage to drilling tools during drilling and let it play the role of a lubricant. The American Petroleum Institute (API) has set up the specifications for the application of barite in drilling mud.
Barite is considered as an interesting replacement to expensive materials used in dope and painting. It is a very useful replacement to crypton, basofor, titanium dioxide, activity and monox which are used as fillers.
It is also very effective in controlling the viscosity of the paint. It improves the stability of the paint and giving more brightness to the paint. Due to its clean whiteness, it’s very effective as an extender for primers as well.
Barite also makes powerful chemical resistance to the walls and smoothness to the undercoats and promising beautiful and smooth walls as a result.
It’s a really unic material insulable in water, having high refractive index, high resistance to acids and alkalies and high bulk density which makes it more and more attractive to the paint industry.
Barite is also commonly used in pharmaceutical industry worldwide. It is used as barium meal material for the intestines and stomach reflections.
Another important applicaition of barites in pharmaceutical industry includes the usage for filling of plaster and dope in order to extend the time limit of the plaster. It is also used in diagnostic medical tests.
Barites are also very effective in blocking x-rays and gamma-rays emission.
Another application of Barite is papermaking industry.
Due to its clean whiteness, the high-refined barites powder is also very useful for filling white paperboards and coatig paper.
This increases the whiteness of the final product and also improve the percentage of coverage thereby giving it a clean white look.
In rubber industry,barites mineral of less than 500 mesh is commonly used for filling the rubber products that is very effective way to make them waterproof. At the same time, it improves the intensity of the product and makes it acid proof and alkali proof.
Barite is also very popular in the cosmetics industry due to its gentle and mild effect on the skin. It is also a wonderful replacement to titanium dioxide.
In plastic industry, it improves the intensity, stiffness and abrasive strength to it thereby making it stronger in strength and beautiful in shape.
Barite (specially in high-purity form) is videly used in medical field as well. It’s normally used in the gastrointestinal tract where its density prevents x-ray penetration, and thus is visible on an x-ray.
