Barite is a naturally occurring mineral form of barium sulfate that is non-toxic and non-reactive with low solubility. It has a specific gravity of 4.5 and refractive index between 1.64 to 1.65 with Mohs hardness of 3 to 3.5. China is the dominant global producer of barite at 33% with India and Morocco also being major producers. Pakistan has estimated barite reserves of over 13.71 million tons located primarily in Baluchistan province between Uthal and Khuzdar and in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. The main use of barite is as a weighting agent in drilling mud for the oil industry, comprising approximately 80% of its consumption.