Barite crystals.
barite
noun
a soft, heavy, orthorhombic mineral, barium sulfate, BaSO, that is the chief ore of barium, used in making paint, drilling mud, etc.
Origin of barite
; from Classical Greek barys, weighty (see grave) + -itebarite
also ba·ry·tes
noun
A yellow, white, or colorless crystalline mineral of barium sulfate, BaSO4, that is used in paint and as the chief source of barium chemicals. Also called heavy spar.
Origin of barite
Greek barus, heavy; see gwer&schwa;-1 in Indo-European roots + –ite1.barite
Noun
(countable and uncountable, plural barites)
Origin
From Ancient Greek βἀρος (baros, “weight”), βαρύτης (barytes, “weight”).
