How do I identify Barite?

Barite can be identified by its hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, Colourless color, Pearly, Vitreous luster, Orthorhombic crystal system. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Barite?

Barite typically appears in Colourless, white, yellow, brown, grey, blue. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

Barite has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a soft mineral that can be scratched easily.

Barite

Baryte

A variety of Baryte Group

Uncommon

What is Barite?

Barite is incredibly unique and can fool you if you're not careful. The glistening surface area makes it seem like a lightweight mineral, but it is heavy! It is so heavy that it has a similar weight to metallic minerals, although it has no metallic properties.

Etymology & Origins

The name baryte is derived from the Ancient Greek: βαρύς, romanized: barús, 'heavy'. The American spelling is barite. The International Mineralogical Association initially adopted "barite" as the official spelling, but recommended adopting the older "baryte" spelling later. This move was controversial and was notably ignored by American mineralogists.

Uses & Applications

Barite has a wide range of applications. By far, the most common industrial use of the mineral ore is in drilling, where it is used as a part of drilling fluids. It has a wide variety of commercial uses, such as medical imaging, plastics, paint, and golf balls.

Healing Properties

Barite is a detoxifying stone that helps one to let go of toxic patterns of behavior and other mental and emotional issues that are not serving the person's greatest good. It empowers one to move forward in their life and helps in issues of self-awareness and self-acceptance. When placed near the bed, it is said to help with dream interpretation and allow a person to attain higher consciousness in the spiritual realm.