Barite

Note: The American Petroleum Institute (API) has established specifications for the use of barite in drilling mud. Advantages: 1. Barite increases the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud allowing it to compensate for high-pressure zones experienced during drilling. 2.

The softness of the mineral also prevents it from damaging drilling tools during drilling and enables it to serve as a lubricant. Applications: 1. The overwhelming majority of the barite that is mined is used by the petroleum industry as a weighting material in the formulation of drilling mud. 2.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has established specifications for the use of barite in drilling mud. Applications at Medical fields: 1. An application where many people have heard of barite is within the medical field. 2.

A high-purity form of barite is used in the gastrointestinal tract where its density prevents x-ray penetration, and thus is visible on an x-ray. 3. The outline of the gastrointestinal tract thus becomes visible allowing the determination of normal and abnormal anatomy. Other Applications: 1.

Barite is also used in a wide variety of other applications including plastics, clutch pads, rubber mud flaps, mold release compounds, radiation shielding, television and computer monitors, sound-deadening material in automobiles, traffic cones, brake linings, paint and golf balls. Chemical Formula: 1. The chemical formula for barite is BaSO4.

It has a high specific gravity. 2. Barite found in a variety of colors like yellow, brown, white, blue, gray, or even colorless, typically has a vitreous to pearly luster.