Barite: Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Barite is a mineral that is ground and used mainly as a weighting agent in oil and gas drilling fluids. In 2025 India produced an estimated 3,000 kt, 34% of world mine production (USGS world total: 8,700 kt), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for barite in 2025 was more than 75%. Barite is on the US and EU critical minerals lists.
$210/t
ground barite, average unit value, ex-works in 2025 (0% on 2024)
Which countries produce barite?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world | Reserves (kt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 2,600 | 3,000 | 34% | 51,000 |
| China | 2,100 | 2,200 | 25% | 120,000 |
| Morocco | 930 | 1,000 | 11% | NA |
| Kazakhstan | 650 | 700 | 8% | 85,000 |
| Iran | 300 | 300 | 3.4% | 100,000 |
| Mexico | 244 | 300 | 3.4% | NA |
| Laos | 250 | 260 | 3% | NA |
| Turkey | 261 | 260 | 3% | 34,000 |
| United States | NA | Withheld | - | NA |
| All other countries | 634 | 680 | 7.8% | NA |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 8,000 | 8,700 | 100% | NA |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Barite. Shares are calculated from the country figures and can differ by a point or two from percentages USGS states in its text, because USGS rounds its figures. NA means not available; Withheld means USGS withheld the figure to avoid disclosing company data.
What is barite used for?
- Drilling fluids for oil and gas wells: typically more than 90% of the barite sold in the United States, as a weighting agent
- Filler, extender or weighting agent: paints, plastics, rubber, brake and clutch pads, paint primer, and the cement jacket around underwater petroleum pipelines
- Radiation shielding: aggregate in high-density concrete around X-ray units in hospitals, nuclear power plants and university research facilities
- Medical imaging: ultrapure barite as a contrast medium for X-ray and computed tomography examinations of the gastrointestinal tract
- Metal casting: part of mold-release compounds
How much does barite cost?
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground barite, average unit value, ex-works | dollars per metric ton | 167 | 145 | 218 | 210 | 210 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Barite. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
Is barite a critical mineral?
Barite is on the US and EU critical minerals lists. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Critical |
| Australia | Not listed |
| Canada | Not listed |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
What are the substitutes for barite?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Oil and gas drilling fluids | No large-scale alternatives; calcium carbonate, hematite, ilmenite and manganese tetroxide are used in specific circumstances |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Barite. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can barite be recycled?
USGS reports no recycling of barite.
What are the supply risks and recent events for barite?
- 2025. Rig counts are often used as an indicator of barite consumption. Through October 2025 the world average excluding the United States was 1,258 rigs against 1,349 a year earlier, and the US average was 564 against 599. USGS estimated barite sales increased anyway, because deeper wells need fewer rigs but more barite per rig.
- 2025. A company in Kazakhstan announced plans to start mining barite in Qaraghandy Province.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. India, 39%; China, 21%; Morocco, 19%; Mexico, 14%; and other, 7%. (USGS)
Resources. USGS puts identified US barite resources at 150 million tons, with another 150 million tons undiscovered. World resources in all categories are about 2 billion tons, of which about 740 million tons are identified.
Which companies produce or process barite?
7 companies are profiled, including Halliburton (Baroid), SLB (M-I SWACO), Baker Hughes. Full barite companies page.
Frequently asked questions
What is barite used for?
Barite is used in drilling fluids for oil and gas wells, filler, extender or weighting agent and radiation shielding. Drilling fluids for oil and gas wells: typically more than 90% of the barite sold in the United States, as a weighting agent.
Which country produces the most barite?
India produces the most barite: an estimated 3,000 kt, or 34% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS mine production figures.
Is barite a critical mineral?
Yes. Barite is on the US and EU critical minerals lists. Barite was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for barite in 2025 was more than 75%.
How much does barite cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of barite at $210/t (ground barite, average unit value, ex-works; 0% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Barite. Production, reserves, uses, substitutes, recycling and events
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 7 and Figures 10A and 10B). Net import reliance, leading producer and price changes for critical minerals
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- USGS Minerals Yearbook 2022: Barite, Table 2 (advance release, June 2025)
- Baker Hughes, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 5 February 2026)
- Indian Bureau of Mines: Indian Minerals Yearbook 2017, Barytes
- Indian Bureau of Mines: Indian Minerals Yearbook 2022, Barytes (advance release)
