Barium minerals

Collins, R.S.. 1972 Barium minerals. London, UK, HMSO, 52pp. (Mineral Dossier No. 2)

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Abstract/Summary

Barytes, barium sulphate, a heavy, inert industrial mineral, the main raw material for the production of barium chemicals and derivatives, occurs in veins in the older rocks in many parts of the British Isles, commonly associated with non-ferrous metal ores. Although it was formerly mined in several areas, there is now only one locality, Oosehouse in the North Riding of Yorkshire, where barytes is now mined for chemical uses. An increasing quantity of barytes is becoming available in Derbyshire as a flotation by-product of fluorspar production, but this material has so far been unsuitable for most chemical uses. The main world use of barytes is in heavy muds for gas and oil well drilling. There is an increased United Kingdom requirement for this material, which is in part being satisfied by increased flotation production in Derbyshire. The United Kingdom is dependent on imports for about three-quarters of the barytes requirements, and also imports barium chemicals. The barium industry is liable to fairly rapid and violent swings in requirements and the extractive industry has for some years been under-capitalised because a better return on capital could be obtained elsewhere. Witherite, barium carbonate, is a minor industrial mineral which until recently was produced almost exclusively at only one mine in the world, Settlingstones in Northumberland. This mine closed in 1969 and the mineral is no longer produced anywhere, so far as is known. Witherite was once a favoured raw material for some chemical production, and was also used in the brick industry. Barium chemicals are used in the glass, ceramic, and electrical industries. The most important of these chemicals is the carbonate, also known as synthetic witherite. The requirements for this substance have increased in recent years. Lithopone, a compound of zinc sulphide and barium sulphate, is a white pigment formerly made in the United Kingdom, but now imported. This material has been largely replaced by titanium dioxide. Barium titanate is important to the electronics industry because of its high dielectric constant. Barium ferrite is an important new permanent magnetic material with many uses particularly in electric motor construction.

Item Type:	Publication - Report
Programmes:	BGS Programmes > Economic Minerals
Funders/Sponsors:	Institute of Geological Sciences
Additional Keywords:	Mineral, Barium minerals
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	28 Jul 2025 15:46 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539890

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