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Missouri Baryte
Barite, Tiff, Bologna Stone\
Other Names:
Barite, Tiff, Bologna Stone\
Pronunciation:
ba-ryte
Type:
Mineral
Classification:
Sulfate - Group: Celestine
Chemical Formula/Composition:
Barium sulfate BaSO4
Luster:
Vitreous (glass-like), pearly
Color:
White, Tan, colorless
Transparency:
Opaque
Mohs Hardness:
3
Fracture/Cleavage:
Perfect cleavage parallel to base and prism faces, uneven or irregular
Uses:
Weighting agent for drilling fluids in oil and gas exploration
Key Features:
Barite forms in different ways — from hot springs, evaporation, and even biological processes. You’ll often find it in lead-zinc veins in limestone or mixed with hematite. Most barite is used in drilling mud for oil and gas wells to keep pressure steady and prevent blowouts. It also shows up in paint, plastics, car parts, soundproofing, radiation-shielding concrete, and even medical scans.
Sources:
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