Barite is primarily used in the oil drilling industry for lubrication of their drill bits during the drilling and cutting process. It is also used in a variety of other applications including pigments, inks, plastics and X-rays. The density and color of this natural mineral make this a valuable product. However, in each application the purity and composition of the contaminants should be closely monitored as it may alter the properties and function of the barite material. Shown in the provided diffractogram is a sample of barite collected on the MiniFlex. Using the Whole Pattern Fitting (WPF) program available in Jade, this material was identified to be 91.7% barite with contaminants of quartz and calcite.
