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Questions And Answer

• Chemical Properties

  Barite, a name that was derived from the Greek word "barus" (heavy), is the mineralogical name for barium sulfate. In commerce, the mineral is sometimes referred to as "barytes."  It serves as the principal Ore of Barium, which is used to make a wide variety of barium compounds.
  Barite is well-known for its great range of colors and varied crystal habits. It is easily identifiable by its heavy weight, since most similar minerals are much lighter.
  Mineral Properties
  Chemical formula: Barium Sulfate BaSO4
  Color(s): Transparent, White, Gray, Yellow, Blue, Red, Brown
  Luster: Vitreous, Greasy
  Crystal system: Orthorhombic
  Transparency: Transparent To Translucent
  Specific Gravity: 4.4
  Hardness (Mohs): 3–3.5
  Location: Barite is widespread in existence.
  
  Because of Barites chemical properties and high specific gravity, it is one of the most amazing minerals used for a range of industrial, medical and manufacturing applications. This mineral has many uses from cooling the bits in oil drilling operations, manufacturing of paints and because it is opaque to x-rays, also used for medical applications.;

• Occurrence and Uses

  Barite is widely distributed in nature and occurs as the mineral barite (also known as barytes or heavy spar). It often is associated with other metallic ores, such as fluorspar. Barites containing over 94% BaSO4 can be processed economically.
  Barite has many commercial applications. It is used as natural barite, or precipitated BaSO4. The precipitated salt in combination with equimolar amount of co-precipitated zinc sulfide formerly was used as a white protective coating pigment, known as lithophone. Similarly, in combination with sodium sulfide, it is used to produce fine pigment particles of uniform size, known as blanc fixe. Natural barite, however, has greater commercial application than the precipitated salt. It is used as drilling mud in oil drilling to lubricate and cool the drilling bit, and to plaster the walls of the drill hole to prevent caving. It is used as a filler in automotive paints, plastics and rubber products. It also is used in polyurethane foam floor mats; white sidewall rubber tires; and as a flux and additive to glass to increase the refractive index.
  Other chemical applications of barium sulfate are as the opaque ingredient in a barium meal for x-ray diagnosis; as a pigment for photographic paper; and to prepare many barium salts. ;

• Preparation

  Barium sulfide is prepared by heating barite with coal or petroleum coke in a rotary kiln at 1,000°C to 1,250°C in an oxygen-free atmosphere:
  BaSO4+ 4C——>BaS + 4CO
  The product, black ash, is a gray or black powder containing carbonaceous impurities and unreacted barite. Barium sulfide is separated from impurities by extraction with hot water and filtration. It is obtained as an aqueous solution of 15 to 30% strength. The commercial product is 80% to 90% BaS.
  Barium sulfide may also be made by high temperature reduction of barium sulfate with methane. ;

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