Iran Holds 29% of Global Barite Reserves

Iran is home to 113 million tons or 29% of the world’s barite reserves, according to the head of Mineral Explorations Department at Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization, Ali Asgharzadeh. Iran’s proven barite reserves were less than 10 million tons before IMIDRO and Geological Survey of Iran started to explore over 250,000 square kilometers of Iran’s area in 2013 over a course of three years.  Iran is home to 68 minerals with more than 37 billion tons of proven and 57 billion tons of potential reserves. Barite is a generally white or colorless mineral primarily used as a weighting agent for drilling fluids in oil and gas exploration.  Other uses include filler in paint and plastics, sound reduction in engine compartments, coat of automobile finished for smoothness and corrosion resistance, radiation-shielding cement, glass ceramics and medical applications.