barite

American  

[bair-ahyt, bar-] / ˈbɛər aɪt, ˈbær- /

noun

1. a common mineral, barium sulfate, BaSO 4 , occurring in white, yellow, or colorless tabular crystals: the principal ore of barium.

---

barite British  

/ ˈbɛəraɪt /

noun

1. Also called: barytes, heavy spar. a colourless or white mineral consisting of barium sulphate in orthorhombic crystalline form, occurring in sedimentary rocks and with sulphide ores: a source of barium. Formula: BaSO 4

---

barite Scientific  

/ bâr′īt /

1. A usually white, clear, or yellow orthorhombic mineral. Barite occurs as flattened blades or in a circular pattern of crystals that looks like a flower and, when colored red by iron stains, is called a desert rose. It is found in limestone, in clay-rich rocks, and in sandstones. Barite is used as a source of barium. Chemical formula: BaSO ₄ .

---

Etymology

Origin of barite

First recorded in 1780–90; bar(ytes) + -ite ¹

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

barite

Because the barite gave the ichthyosaur’s bones a bright glow, the team was able to observe anatomical features that had been overlooked or obscured.

From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2023

What they do display are strange increases in barium—likely from barite, a mineral used in offshore oil drilling.

From Science Magazine ● May 5, 2022

A natural copper impurity in the Italian barite was the key to making the object’s luminescence last. Copper ions, once bathed in light, slowly released the stored energy.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 30, 2018

A barite mining operation at the Jebel Irhoud massif in Morocco, some 100 kilometers west of Marrakech, turned up a fossil human skull.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 8, 2017

His dad worked in the barite mine and spent his evenings at the Owl Club, so Billy had a lot of unsupervised time on his hands.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---