Properties of Barite

Barite, also known as baryte, is a mineral composed of barium sulfate (BaSO4). It is typically colorless or milky white, but it can also occur in various shades of blue, green, yellow, or red depending on impurities.

Image of barite mineral
Credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com - CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The following table provides a comprehensive list of barite properties in both SI and US customary/Imperial units at normal temperature and pressure (NTP).

Note: click on the icon to switch between Metric and Imperial units.

Table of Barite Properties
Physical Properties
Metric
Chemical FormulaBaSO4
Molar Mass233.39 g/mol
Crystal SystemOrthorhombic
Mohs Hardness3 - 3.5
Density4490 kg/m3
ColorWhite, yellowish white, grayish white, brownish white, or dark brown
DiaphaneityTransparent, translucent, opaque
LusterVitreous (glassy), pearly
Cleavage(001) perfect, (210) perfect
FractureUneven
StreakWhite

Note: unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)

Related Pages
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017.