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BARITE/BARYTE  ( BaSO₄)
General Information
Barite (spelled baryte in British publications) was named from the Greek word baros which means weighty, a reference to its unusually high specific gravity. (Specific gravity is a mineralogist’s measure of the density of a mineral; this is done by comparing the weight of the mineral to the weight of an equal volume of water.)

Barite is a mineral composed of barium sulfate, BaSO4. It is usually colorless or milky white, but can be almost any color, depending on the impurities trapped in the crystals during their formation. Barite is relatively soft, measuring 3-3.5 on Mohs' scale of hardness. It is unusually heavy for a non-metallic mineral. The high density is responsible for its value in many applications. Barite is chemically inert and insoluble. Barite (BaSO4) is a nonmetallic mineral used primarily as a weighting agent in drilling muds in the oil and gas industry, due to its relatively high specific gravity (4.2). The bulk of Pands ’s  barite was used for oil-field drilling fluids.  Barite can also be used for the manufacture of lithopone (a white paint pigment) and as a filler in paint, paper, rubber, linoleum, and cloth. Barite deposits of Pands Group are present in  Loei,Cheing Mai,Kanchanaburi and Nakhon si thammarat.

Applications
By far, the principal use for barite is as a “weighting agent” in oil and natural gas drilling. In this process, barite is crushed and mixed with water and other materials. It is then pumped into the drill hole. The weight of this mixture counteracts the force of the oil and gas when it is released from the ground. This allows the oil and gas rig operators to prevent the explosive release of the oil and gas from the ground. Currently, the majority of barite consumption in Thailand is for this drilling application. However, the consumption in drilling "mud" fluctuates from year to year, as it is dependent on the amount of exploration drilling for oil and gas, which in turn depends on oil and gas prices.

Beyond this, barite is used as an additive to paints, enamels, and plastics, in the production of so-called "lead" crystal or "leaded" glass, stops radiation from computer monitors and television tubes, and as the source of barium chemicals. Barite has the unique ability to strongly absorb X-rays and gamma rays. Consequently, it is used in medical science for special X-ray tests on the intestines and colon. It is also       mixed with cement to make special containers used to store radioactive materials. A more recent application of barite is in the production of brake pads and clutches for cars and truck A dense mineral comprising barium sulfate (BaSO4). Commonly used as a weighting agent for all types of drilling fluids, barites are mined in many areas worldwide and shipped as ore to grinding plants in strategic locations, where API specifies grinding to a particle size of 3 to74 microns. Pure barium sulfate has a specific gravity of 4.50 g/cm3, but drilling-grade barite is expected to have a specific gravity of at least 4.20 g/cm3 to meet API specifications. Contaminants in barite, such as cement, siderite, pyrrhotite, gypsum and anhydrite, can cause problems in certain mud systems and should be evaluated in any quality assurance program for drilling-mud additives

Mining and Productions
PANDS GROUP is the holder of the most concessions of barite minerals in Thailand. By using the name of P&S Barite Mining Company Limited, which exists in all regions of the country And conducting Barite mining and mineral grinding factories for the oil, natural gas, brake pads, paint and other drilling industries, with quality certifications from the API and the MOI (Industrial Standards), including standards Environmental management Quality and laboratories (Lab) ISO 14000 | ISO 9001 | ISO 17025 The mining method is an open mine which able to produce enough minerals to meet the needs of customers Including exports to foreign countries.

	MINE LOCATION ORE RESERVES (TONS) Year 2020 MINING CAPACITY (TONS/M)   .
	Chaing Mai < 6,000,000 30,000 Tak Exploration   Loei < 4,000,000 20,000 Kanchanaburi Exploration   Nakhon Si Thammarat < 1,000,000 20,000 Total < 11,000,000 70,000 SPECIFICATION API 13A -Oil Well Drilling Fluid Material