BARYTES (Barium Sulphate)

Uses: Drilling, filler

The chief use of barytes is as a weighting agent in well drilling fluids (‘muds’).  Barytes powder is added to the drilling fluid to increase the density of the column of fluid above the drill bit, thus reducing the risk of blowout.  Barytes can form up to 40% of the fluid by weight and is favoured in this application because it is non-corrosive, non-abrasive, insoluble and non-toxic. 

RS Minerals Ltd supplies a natural off-white barytes powder suitable for drilling and other grades are available by special order.

Chemical Properties

BaSO₄ + SrSO4 … 90-98% (92% typical)

CaCO₃ … 0-5% (2.8% typical)

SiO₂ … 0-0.75% (0.6% typical)

Fe₂O₃ … 0-0.5% (0.2% typical)

Pb … 0-0.2% (0.17% typical)

Physical Properties

Specific Gravity … 4.2-4.45 (4.3 typical)

Retained on 75 um sieve … 0-4% (1% typical)

Topsize (d₉₇) … 60-100um (75um typical)

Mean (d₅₀) …15-25um (18um typical)

Barytes powder is available in 25Kg sacks.

For further information please contact us.

RS Minerals Ltd

23 Allerston Way, Guisborough

Cleveland TS14 6GA

United Kingdom

info@rsminerals.co.uk