WorldWide Drilling Resource

76 FEBRUARY 2016 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®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ust the Barite Facts Barite’s name comes from the Greek word Barys, meaning heavy; which is appropriate for this mineral with its high specific gravity of 4.5, mak- ing it ideal for a wide range of uses. j Most mined barite is used by the oil and gas industry as a weighting material in the formulation of drilling mud. These high-density muds are pumped down the drill stem, exit through the cutting bit, and return to the surface between the drill stem and the wall of the well. This does two things: it cools the drill bit and suspends rock cuttings, carrying them up to the surface. Barite in- creases the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud, allowing it to com- pensate for high-pressure zones experienced during drilling. j Another use is in the medical field. If you’ve ever had an upper GI (gas- trointestinal) test, the barium drink you ingest is actually a high-purity form of barite. The barite’s density prevents x-ray penetration, making it visible on an x-ray. This makes the outline of the gastrointestinal tract visible, allowing doctors to identify potential issues. j Some uses for barite you may not be familiar with include plastics, clutch pads, radiation shielding, tel- evision and computer monitors, sound-deadening materials in cars, traffic cones, brake linings, and golf balls. It is also used as a pigment in paints and as a filler for paper, cloth, and rubber. The paper used in some playing cards has barite packed between the paper fibers. This gives the paper a high density which allows the cards to be dealt easily. j China and India are the leading producers of barite. They also have the largest reserves. There is some debate about the spelling of Barite. For the last 100 years or so, it has been spelled Barite in the U.S.; however, in theUnitedKingdom, the spelling has been Baryte. Nomatter how you spell it, our world is better with barite. WWDR photo of Battle Mountain, Nevada, barite samples. Check out our new Web site! worldwidedrillingresource.com