Barytes

Barytes (Barite) is a dense mineral 4.2 grams/cc which consists of Barium sulphate. As well as being dense it is very inert and as a result it is used as a drilling mud for oil wells in the North Sea. Its weight helps to keep the oil in place and it also lubricates the drilling bit.

In pure form it is used for barium meals and ememas. It is opaque to X-rays and so it allows an X-ray to pick out the course of the alimentary canal and possibly detect any abnormalities.

It can be used as a filler for high quality card such as might be use daily for playing cards.

Barytes at the spoil heap.

The golden sparkles on this specimen of barytes are iron pyrites (fool's gold).