
Barite or baryte is a mineral which mainly contains 65.7% barium oxide and 34.3% sulfate in its pure form. Sometimes natural barite also consists of trace amount of strontium. It is an industrial mineral with high density, low solubility, high brightness & whiteness, chemical inertness, softness, and lesser cost. The most significant feature of barite is its relatively high density of 4.5g/cm3 making it commercially important for industrial, medical, and production. Main applications of this mineral include filler in paint & plastics, source of barium, production of lithopone, absorber of harmful rays, flux during glass manufacture adding brilliance & clarity, and more.