Barite

Barite in drilling mud keeps oil and gas wells safe and efficient. Barite is also vital to the oil and gas industry because it is a key constituent of the mud used to drill oil and gas wells. Elemental barium is an additive in optical glass, ceramic glazes, and other products. Within the United States, the majority of barite comes from mines in Nevada. Imports in 2016 accounted for 78 percent of domestic consumption and came mostly from China. Image credit: Carlesmillan - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17000172