API 13 A SECTION 7 ( Barite )

 

Typical Suspension Properties
Sr no.	Parameters	Specifications	Other Grades
1	Density ( gm / cm3 )	4.2 min	4.0	4.1	4.15
2	Water Soluble Alkaline  ( mg / kg as Ca+2 )	250 max	..	..	..
3	Residue > 75 micrmeters ( Wet Method )	3% max	3%	3%	3%
4	Particale Fineness ( < 6 microns )	30% max	..	..	..
5	Moisture Content (%)	1% max	1%	1%	1%

 

Note : The American Petroleum Institute (API) has established specifications for the use of barite in drilling mud.

Advantages:

?  Barite increases the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud allowing it to compensate for high-pressure zones experienced during drilling. 

?  The softness of the mineral also prevents it from damaging drilling tools during drilling and enables it to serve as a lubricant. 

Applications:

?  The overwhelming majority of the barite that is mined is used by the petroleum industry as a weighting material in the formulation of drilling mud. 

?  The American Petroleum Institute (API) has established specifications for the use of barite in drilling mud.

Applications at Medical fields:

?  An application where many people have heard of barite is within the medical field. 

?  A high-purity form of barite is used in the gastrointestinal tract where its density prevents x-ray penetration, and thus is visible on an x-ray. 

?  The outline of the gastrointestinal tract thus becomes visible allowing the determination of normal and abnormal anatomy.

Other Applications:

?  Barite is also used in a wide variety of other applications including plastics, clutch pads, rubber mudflaps, mold release compounds, radiation shielding, television and computer monitors, sound-deadening material in automobiles, traffic cones, brake linings, paint and golf balls.

Chemical Formula:

?  The chemical formula for barite is BaSO₄.  It has a high specific gravity.

?  Barite found in a variety of colors like yellow, brown, white, blue, gray, or even colorless, typically has a vitreous to pearly luster.