Natural Barium Sulphate VS Precipitated ...

In the market for mineral fillers, natural barium sulphate (or barite powder) and precipitated barium sulphate are frequently discussed. A key distinction lies in their production methods: natural barium sulphate is derived from processed barite, while precipitated barium sulphate is obtained through chemical precipitation. This article delves into the differences between the two.

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Production Processes

Natural barium sulphate is created from raw barite minerals that undergo crushing, washing, and grinding, making this process purely physical. Initially, the raw barite is crushed at the mining site and cleaned using washing equipment to eliminate surface sediment. The final step entails grinding the barite into an ultrafine powder tailored to specific customer requirements.

Conversely, precipitated barium sulphate is generated through chemical processes. This involves mixing barium sulfide solution with sodium sulphate solution after the removal of calcium and magnesium. The mixture is then subjected to a chemical reaction at temperatures around 80°C, resulting in a precipitate. Following this, the precipitate undergoes filtering, water washing, and acid washing, ensuring that its pH value remains between 5-6. A final round of filtering, drying, and crushing yields industrial-quality precipitated barium sulphate powder. Additionally, precipitated barium sulphate can be produced by combining barium yellow brine with sodium sulphate solution.

Content of Barium Sulphate

Natural barium sulphate's content is influenced by the quality of the barite mine used, which often results in an unstable barium sulphate content of less than 85% due to mineral impurities. In contrast, the chemical extraction and precipitation methods applied to precipitated barium sulphate effectively eliminate various impurities, allowing its barium sulphate content to reach up to 99%. This high purity makes precipitated barium sulphate exceptionally suitable for advanced applications, including performance waterborne coatings, automotive coatings, and electronic inks.

Differences in the Particle Size

Within the filling powder industry, particle fineness is gauged using the unit 'AIM,' where a higher AIM value indicates a smaller particle size. Presently, market offerings include 300 mesh to 600 mesh barium sulphate, with 300 mesh primarily comprising natural barium sulphate, while precipitated variants typically exceed 600 mesh.

Downstream Applications

Natural barium sulphate is commonly utilized in products where ultra-high purity, whiteness, fine particle size, excellent dispersion, or elevated oil absorption are not critically required, such as standard paints and plastics. Conversely, precipitated barium sulphate is employed in higher-end applications, including performance water-based coatings, electronic inks, and engineering plastics, to name a few.

Market Prices

As indicated by their production processes, there is a significant disparity in production costs and output between the two types of barium sulphate. Natural barium sulphate benefits from a straightforward production process, allowing for larger outputs and comparatively lower prices. In contrast, the complex manufacturing process for precipitated barium sulphate—including calcination, synthesis, extraction, precipitation, and drying—demands considerable resources such as electricity, coal, and sodium sulfide, leading to higher costs and limited daily output compared to its natural counterpart.

Beyond the aforementioned distinctions, natural barium sulphate and precipitated barium sulphate also vary significantly in product parameters. For more insights, click here. Should you encounter any issues with barium sulphate products, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Hoyonn Chemical is equipped with a team of technical experts dedicated to serving various industries and solving practical problems for global clients. We can customize different specifications of barium sulphate products based on diverse customer needs.