{ "spore": "profile", "id": "barium-sulfate", "spore_version": "0.2", "family": "barium", "name": "Barium sulfate", "abbreviation": "BaSO4", "role": "X-ray and gamma shielding filler and radiocontrast agent", "category": "shielding", "type": "spot-shields", "summary": "Barium sulfate (BaSO4) is a dense, white, very poorly water-soluble barium salt. In nature it occurs as the mineral barite. The Wikipedia Chembox gives a density of 4.49 g/cm3, and the ILO International Chemical Safety Card 0827 gives 4.5 g/cm3. The material is used as a heavy filler in polymers and as aggregate in radiation-shielding concrete, where it blocks X-rays and gamma rays.\n", "best_for": "Dense X-ray and gamma shielding fillers where density matters more than mechanical strength (USGS: used as aggregate in high-density radiation-shielding concrete)", "weakest_at": "No space, vacuum or long-term radiation-durability data were found in the sources read; hazard data are inconsistent between sources", "identity": { "formula": "BaSO4", "cas": "7727-43-7", "crystal_system": "orthorhombic", "designations": [], "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox: formula BaSO4, crystal structure orthorhombic. CAS 7727-43-7 is printed in the Chembox and on ICSC 0827 (icsc-0827)" }, "tags": { "environments": [], "stresses": [ "total-radiation-dose" ], "applications": [ "radiation-shielding" ] }, "properties": [ { "benchmark": "density", "label": "Density (Chembox)", "value": 4.49, "bound": "exact", "unit": "g/cm3", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "form": "barium sulfate, solid", "basis": "Chembox value for the pure compound" }, "method": "Value in the infobox of an encyclopedia article, which cites secondary references", "status": "ground", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, Density field", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "density", "label": "Density (ICSC 0827)", "value": 4.5, "bound": "exact", "unit": "g/cm3", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "form": "barium sulfate, as listed on the card" }, "method": "Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card", "status": "ground", "note": "The card and the Chembox agree to the precision the card prints; both are recorded.", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Physical and chemical information, Density", "source_detail": { "title": "International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)", "id": "ICSC 0827, October 1999; CAS 7727-43-7", "url": "https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827", "year": 1999, "kind": "datasheet", "license": "ILO and WHO copyright notice on the card; cited, not reproduced" } }, { "benchmark": "density", "label": "Specific gravity of barite (mineral data page)", "value": 4.48, "bound": "exact", "unit": "gm/cc", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "material": "barite, the mineral form of BaSO4" }, "method": "Value in a note on a mineral data page", "status": "ground", "source": "webmineral-barite", "where": "Electron Density section, note 'Specific Gravity of Barite =4.48 gm/cc'", "source_detail": { "title": "Webmineral: Barite mineral data", "id": "webmineral.com, barite data page", "url": "https://webmineral.com/data/Barite.shtml", "year": 2026, "kind": "database", "license": "web page (licence not checked)" } }, { "benchmark": "density", "label": "Density of barite as a heavy mineral (Ahmad et al. 2024)", "value": 4.48, "bound": "exact", "unit": "g/cm3", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "material": "barite, a heavy mineral", "basis": "value the paper gives for barite, citing refs 27 and 41" }, "method": "Value in the text of an open-access paper", "status": "ground", "source": "ahmad2024-sci", "where": "Density of concrete section, first paragraph (text: 'a heavy mineral with a density of 4.48 g/cm 3')", "source_detail": { "title": "Enhancing shielding efficiency of ordinary and barite concrete in radiation shielding utilizations", "id": "doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76402-0 (Scientific Reports 14, 26029)", "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-76402-0", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "open-access journal (licence not checked)" } }, { "benchmark": "molar_mass", "label": "Molar mass", "value": 233.39, "bound": "exact", "unit": "g/mol", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "basis": "molar mass of BaSO4 as printed in the Chembox" }, "method": "Value printed in the infobox of an encyclopedia article", "status": "ground", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, Molar mass field", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "melting_point", "label": "Melting point", "value": 1580, "bound": "exact", "unit": "°C", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "form": "barium sulfate, solid", "note": "The same box gives a boiling point of 1600 °C with the note 'decomposes'" }, "method": "Value in the Chembox of an encyclopedia article", "status": "ground", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, MeltingPt field", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "decomposition_temperature", "label": "Decomposition temperature", "value": 1600, "bound": "exact", "unit": "°C", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "basis": "statement on the card: 'Decomposes at 1600°C'", "note": "The ICSC card lists no melting point" }, "method": "Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card", "status": "ground", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Physical and chemical information, decomposition statement", "source_detail": { "title": "International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)", "id": "ICSC 0827, October 1999; CAS 7727-43-7", "url": "https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827", "year": 1999, "kind": "datasheet", "license": "ILO and WHO copyright notice on the card; cited, not reproduced" } }, { "benchmark": "water_solubility", "label": "Solubility in water at 20 °C", "value": 2.448, "bound": "exact", "unit": "mg/L", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "temperature": "20 °C", "solvent": "water" }, "method": "Value in the Chembox; the same box gives 2.85 mg/L at 30 °C", "status": "ground", "note": "The ICSC card gives 'none' for solubility in water, which disagrees with the Chembox figure; both are recorded in corrosion.", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, Solubility field", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "refractive_index", "label": "Refractive index (alpha form)", "value": 1.636, "bound": "exact", "unit": "-", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "form": "alpha", "basis": "Chembox RefractIndex field, marked alpha" }, "method": "Value in the Chembox of an encyclopedia article", "status": "ground", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, RefractIndex field", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "heat_capacity_molar", "label": "Molar heat capacity", "value": 101.7, "bound": "exact", "unit": "J/(mol K)", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "basis": "Chembox thermochemistry field; temperature not stated in the box" }, "method": "Value in the Chembox thermochemistry section, which cites a textbook", "status": "ground", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, Thermochemistry section, HeatCapacity field", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "standard_molar_entropy", "label": "Standard molar entropy", "value": 132, "bound": "exact", "unit": "J/(mol·K)", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "basis": "standard conditions as given in the Chembox thermochemistry section" }, "method": "Value in the Chembox thermochemistry section, which cites a textbook", "status": "ground", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, Thermochemistry section, Entropy field", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "filler_loading", "label": "Filler loading in polymers", "value": 70, "bound": "upper", "unit": "%", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "polymers": "polypropylene and polystyrene", "basis": "maximum proportion stated in the text" }, "method": "Value stated in the text of an encyclopedia article", "status": "ground", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Uses, plastics filler paragraph ('in proportions up to 70%')", "source_detail": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "occupational_exposure_limit", "label": "MAK (as barium, respirable fraction)", "value": 0.3, "bound": "exact", "unit": "mg/m3", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "basis": "MAK value printed on the card, as Ba, respirable fraction", "category": "peak limitation category II(8)" }, "method": "Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card", "status": "ground", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Occupational exposure limits, MAK", "source_detail": { "title": "International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)", "id": "ICSC 0827, October 1999; CAS 7727-43-7", "url": "https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827", "year": 1999, "kind": "datasheet", "license": "ILO and WHO copyright notice on the card; cited, not reproduced" } }, { "benchmark": "occupational_exposure_limit", "label": "TLV (inhalable fraction)", "value": 4, "bound": "exact", "unit": "ppm", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "basis": "TLV as TWA, inhalable fraction, as printed on the card" }, "method": "Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card", "status": "ground", "note": "The card prints the unit ppm for a dust limit; it is copied as printed.", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Occupational exposure limits, TLV", "source_detail": { "title": "International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)", "id": "ICSC 0827, October 1999; CAS 7727-43-7", "url": "https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827", "year": 1999, "kind": "datasheet", "license": "ILO and WHO copyright notice on the card; cited, not reproduced" } } ], "corrosion": [ { "environment": "Concentrated, hot sulfuric acid", "headline": "Barium sulfate dissolves only in concentrated, hot sulfuric acid among the solvents the Chembox lists.", "effect": "The Chembox lists barium sulfate as soluble in concentrated, hot sulfuric acid and as insoluble in ethanol. It gives a water solubility of 2.448 mg/L at 20 °C, so it does not dissolve appreciably in water.", "rating": "low", "conditions": { "basis": "solubility fields in the Chembox; no test of corrosion rates is given" }, "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Chembox, SolubleOther and Solvent fields" }, { "environment": "Water", "headline": "The sources disagree on water solubility: the Chembox gives a figure, while the ICSC card says none.", "effect": "The ICSC card gives 'none' for solubility in water. The Chembox gives 2.448 mg/L at 20 °C. Both are recorded here and neither is filled in.", "rating": "low", "conditions": { "basis": "two sources compared side by side" }, "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Physical and chemical information, Solubility in water" }, { "environment": "Fire and high temperature", "headline": "The card says the material is not combustible, but it gives off irritating or toxic fumes in a fire.", "effect": "ICSC 0827 says 'Not combustible. Gives off irritating or toxic fumes (or gases) in a fire.' It also says the material decomposes at 1600 °C. The card does not name the fumes.", "rating": "low", "conditions": { "basis": "fire-fighting section of the card; the gases are not named" }, "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Fire-fighting; Physical and chemical information" } ], "risks": { "hazards": [ { "text": "PubChem's aggregated summary reads: 'This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 91% (1648 of 1811) of all reports.'", "ghs": [], "source": "pubchem-barium-sulfate", "where": "Safety and Hazards, GHS Classification (CID 24414), first summary" }, { "text": "One ECHA notification summary lists 'H302 (16.6%): Harmful if swallowed' and 'H332 (16.6%): Harmful if inhaled', with the signal word Warning.", "ghs": [ "H302", "H332" ], "source": "pubchem-barium-sulfate", "where": "Safety and Hazards, GHS Classification, Warning notification" }, { "text": "A separate notification lists 'H372: Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure', with the signal word Danger, and also lists H402 and H412 for aquatic harm.", "ghs": [ "H372", "H402", "H412" ], "source": "pubchem-barium-sulfate", "where": "Safety and Hazards, GHS Classification, Danger notification" }, { "text": "The ICSC card says repeated or prolonged inhalation of dust particles may cause effects on the lungs, which it says may lead to baritosis, a form of benign pneumoconiosis.", "ghs": [], "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Exposure and health effects, long-term or repeated exposure" } ], "failure_risks": [ { "mode": "Violent reaction with aluminium powder", "trigger": "Contact with aluminium powder in a mix or spill", "consequence": "ICSC 0827 lists 'Reacts violently with aluminium powder' under chemical dangers.", "severity": "moderate", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Physical and chemical information, Chemical dangers (severity assessed by Space Mushroom from the card's wording)" } ], "side_effects": [], "handling": [ { "text": "The ICSC card says to prevent dispersion of dust, use local exhaust or breathing protection, and wear protective gloves and safety spectacles.", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Prevention and handling" }, { "text": "The card says to sweep spilled substance into covered containers and, if appropriate, to moisten it first to prevent dusting, using a particulate filter respirator.", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "Spillage disposal" }, { "text": "No barium sulfate safety data sheet from a supplier was read in this run. Check the supplier's data sheet before handling bulk powder.", "source": "pubchem-barium-sulfate", "where": "Not found in this run; PubChem record read for the hazard entries above" } ], "mitigations": [ { "text": "The ICSC card's eye first aid is to rinse first with plenty of water for several minutes, then refer for medical attention.", "source": "icsc-0827", "where": "First aid, Eyes" } ] }, "uses": [ { "application": "radiation-shielding", "device": "Concrete aggregate for shielding around X-ray units", "example": "The USGS says barite 'significantly blocks X-ray and gamma-ray emissions', so it is used as aggregate in high-density concrete for radiation shielding around X-ray units in hospitals, nuclear powerplants and university nuclear research facilities.", "source": "usgs-mcs2026-barite", "where": "Domestic Production and Use, paragraph 3" }, { "application": "radiation-shielding", "device": "Filler in polymer composites", "example": "Barium sulfate is used as a filler for polypropylene and polystyrene plastics in proportions up to 70%, and such composites are also used as X-ray shielding materials, per Wikipedia.", "source": "wiki-barium-sulfate", "where": "Uses, plastics filler paragraph" } ], "supply": [ { "subject": "Barite (barium sulfate mineral)", "producers": [ { "country": "India", "share_percent": 34.5, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "China", "share_percent": 25.3, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Morocco", "share_percent": 11.5, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Kazakhstan", "share_percent": 8, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Mexico", "share_percent": 3.4, "year": 2025 } ], "critical_lists": [ { "list": "EU critical raw materials list (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, as shown on the European Commission page, which lists Baryte)", "listed": true } ], "recycling": "USGS barite chapter: 'Recycling: None.'", "substitutes": [ "USGS: 'there are no large-scale alternatives to barite in oil- and gas-drilling fluids'. It names calcium carbonate, hematite, ilmenite and manganese tetroxide as the most common alternatives in specific circumstances." ], "source": "usgs-mcs2026-barite", "where": "World Mine Production and Reserves table, 2025 (world total 8,700 thousand metric tons; shares calculated by Space Mushroom against that total, which includes Other countries); Recycling; Substitutes" } ], "media": [], "documents": [ { "title": "International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)", "type": "datasheet", "url": "https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827", "year": 1999 }, { "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Barite", "type": "report", "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-barite.pdf", "year": 2026 }, { "title": "PubChem: Barium Sulfate (CID 24414), GHS classification and CAS", "type": "database", "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Barium-sulfate", "year": 2026 }, { "title": "Enhancing shielding efficiency of ordinary and barite concrete in radiation shielding utilizations (Scientific Reports 14, 26029)", "type": "paper", "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-76402-0", "year": 2024 }, { "title": "Radiation Shielding Performance of Different Concrete Materials: A Systematic Review (arXiv 2601.10336)", "type": "paper", "url": "https://www.arxiv.org/pdf/2601.10336", "year": 2026 } ], "gaps": [ "No space, vacuum, lunar or Mars test of barium sulfate was found in the sources read in this run.", "The solubility product and the magnetic susceptibility are printed in the Chembox in scientific notation, so they are not recorded.", "The standard enthalpy of formation is printed in the Chembox with a Unicode minus sign that the value check cannot match, so it is not recorded.", "Atomic weights for the recipe parts were not found in a source read in this run, so they are left out.", "Crustal abundance and the USGS 2025 critical-minerals listing were not found in a source read in this run; only the EU listing is recorded.", "No designation entry (UNS, EN, ASTM or trade code) was added. The EC and UN numbers are printed on the ICSC card and the Chembox, but they do not fit the designation systems list.", "The melting point is given only in the Chembox; the ICSC card lists no melting point.", "Hazard entries rest on the PubChem aggregated GHS summary and the ICSC card. No supplier safety data sheet was read.", "Mohs hardness was not recorded because no unit was printed on the source page.", "Shielding performance of barium sulfate as a concrete aggregate is covered in the separate barite-heavyweight concrete profile and is not repeated here.", "Type spot-shields is the nearest existing shielding type in src/data/taxonomy.ts (the same type the barite concrete profile uses); it is an approximate fit for a mineral filler and not an exact one.", "Some property names (molar_mass, decomposition_temperature, water_solubility, heat_capacity_molar, standard_molar_entropy, filler_loading, occupational_exposure_limit) are short snake_case names, not canonical names in spores/property-canon.yaml." ], "story": { "why": "Barium sulfate is a dense, poorly soluble barium salt that is used where a heavy, inert filler is needed. Its density and barium content let it block X-rays and gamma rays, so it is added to polymers and concrete for radiation shielding. The USGS lists its main uses as a weighting agent in drilling fluids, a filler and extender in paints and plastics, and aggregate in high-density concrete for radiation shielding. The 2026 systematic review of shielding concretes calls barite and magnetite concretes among the most reliable materials for medical radiation rooms, nuclear containment structures and accelerator facilities. No space or vacuum test was found.", "uses": [ { "where": "Concrete for X-ray and gamma shielding", "line": "The USGS says barite significantly blocks X-ray and gamma-ray emissions, so it is used as aggregate in high-density concrete around X-ray units in hospitals, nuclear power plants and university nuclear research facilities." }, { "where": "Polymer composites", "line": "Barium sulfate is used as a filler for polypropylene and polystyrene plastics in proportions up to 70%, and such composites are also used as X-ray shielding materials." }, { "where": "Drilling fluids", "line": "Wikipedia says the largest use of barium sulfate is as a component of oil-well drilling fluid, where it raises the density of the fluid and reduces the chance of a blowout." } ], "can_do": [ { "label": "Density", "line": "The Chembox gives a density of 4.49 g/cm3, and the ICSC card gives 4.5 g/cm3. The barite mineral has a density of 4.48 g/cm3 according to Ahmad et al. (2024).", "benchmark": "density", "scope": "material" }, { "label": "Filler capacity", "line": "Polymer composites carry barium sulfate in proportions up to 70%, per Wikipedia. The filler raises the density of the plastic and adds X-ray opacity.", "benchmark": "filler_loading", "scope": "material", "value": "Up to 70%" }, { "label": "Melting", "line": "The Chembox gives a melting point of 1580 °C. The ICSC card gives no melting point and says the material decomposes at 1600 °C.", "benchmark": "melting_point", "scope": "material" }, { "label": "Water solubility", "line": "The Chembox gives a water solubility of 2.448 mg/L at 20 °C, which keeps the solid largely undissolved in water.", "benchmark": "water_solubility", "scope": "material" } ], "compare": "Barium sulfate is the pure, manufactured form of the mineral barite, and the two are the same chemical. Ahmad et al. (2024) give a density of 4.48 g/cm3 for barite, and the Chembox gives 4.49 g/cm3 for barium sulfate; the two values are close and both are recorded. Barium sulfate used in concrete is a different material system with different strength and attenuation figures, which are set out in the separate barite-heavyweight concrete profile.", "compare_rows": [ { "label": "Density", "benchmark": "density", "scope": "material" }, { "label": "Melting point", "benchmark": "melting_point", "scope": "material" }, { "label": "Water solubility", "benchmark": "water_solubility", "scope": "material" } ], "handling": [ "Prevent dust from spreading, and use local exhaust or breathing protection, per the ICSC card.", "Wear protective gloves and safety spectacles when handling the powder.", "Keep it away from aluminium powder, which it reacts with violently.", "Check the supplier's safety data sheet before handling bulk powder, since none was read here." ], "good_for": [ "Dense filler for X-ray and gamma shielding in polymers and concrete, per the USGS and Wikipedia.", "Very low water solubility (Chembox), so the solid stays largely undissolved in water." ], "watch_out": [ "Dust hazard, and one notification lists H372 for repeated exposure.", "Reacts violently with aluminium powder, per the ICSC card.", "No space, vacuum or long-term radiation-durability data in the sources read.", "The ICSC card and the Chembox disagree on water solubility." ], "verdict": "Barium sulfate is a dense, very poorly soluble filler for X-ray and gamma shielding. Its main hazards are dust and reaction with aluminium powder, and no space test was found.", "recipe": { "line": "Barium sulfate is BaSO₄, a salt of barium and sulfate. It occurs in nature as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium according to the Wikipedia article. The formula BaSO₄ has the barium, sulfur and oxygen atoms listed in the parts.", "parts": [ { "name": "Barium", "symbol": "Ba", "role": "The heavy element that gives the material its high density and its ability to absorb X-rays and gamma rays." }, { "name": "Sulfur", "symbol": "S", "role": "Forms the sulfate group that binds the barium into a stable, insoluble salt." }, { "name": "Oxygen", "symbol": "O", "role": "Complete the sulfate group around the sulfur atom." } ] }, "risk_groups": [ { "title": "For people", "lead": "PubChem's aggregated summary says most company reports do not meet GHS hazard criteria, but other notifications list hazard statements, including a repeated-exposure hazard.", "points": [ { "label": "Most reports", "line": "PubChem's summary reads: 'This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 91% (1648 of 1811) of all reports.'" }, { "label": "Harmful if swallowed", "line": "One notification lists H302, harmful if swallowed, with the signal word Warning." }, { "label": "Repeated exposure", "line": "Another notification lists H372, causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure, with the signal word Danger." }, { "label": "Dust", "line": "The ICSC card advises preventing dust from spreading and says repeated or prolonged inhalation of dust may affect the lungs, possibly as baritosis." } ], "level": 0, "verdict": "Mixed: most reports not classified; some list H372" }, { "title": "Handling powder", "lead": "Barium sulfate is usually handled as a powder or a filler, so the main concerns are dust and mixing with reactive metals.", "points": [ { "label": "Reaction", "line": "The ICSC card warns that the material reacts violently with aluminium powder." }, { "label": "Fire", "line": "The card says it is not combustible but gives off irritating or toxic fumes in a fire." } ] } ] }, "updated": "2026-11-02", "review": { "status": "draft", "method": "assistant", "checked_values": 14, "unreachable": 1, "caveats": 3, "note": "Written by an AI assistant on 2026-11-02 from eight sources read in this run. Values are copied as printed. The PubChem page is behind a browser check, so its GHS entries were read from the PubChem data service instead. The USGS 2025 critical-minerals page was not read." }, "sources": { "wiki-barium-sulfate": { "title": "Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections)", "id": "Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "web", "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0" }, "icsc-0827": { "title": "International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)", "id": "ICSC 0827, October 1999; CAS 7727-43-7", "url": "https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827", "year": 1999, "kind": "datasheet", "license": "ILO and WHO copyright notice on the card; cited, not reproduced" }, "usgs-mcs2026-barite": { "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Barite", "id": "USGS MCS 2026, February 2026", "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-barite.pdf", "year": 2026, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain (USGS)" }, "pubchem-barium-sulfate": { "title": "PubChem compound record, Barium Sulfate (CID 24414)", "id": "CID 24414; CAS 7727-43-7", "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Barium-sulfate", "year": 2026, "kind": "database", "license": "public domain (NCBI)" }, "ec-crm": { "title": "Critical raw materials (European Commission, list of 34 critical raw materials under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252)", "id": "Regulation (EU) 2024/1252", "url": "https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en", "year": 2024, "kind": "web", "license": "European Commission web page" }, "webmineral-barite": { "title": "Webmineral: Barite mineral data", "id": "webmineral.com, barite data page", "url": "https://webmineral.com/data/Barite.shtml", "year": 2026, "kind": "database", "license": "web page (licence not checked)" }, "ahmad2024-sci": { "title": "Enhancing shielding efficiency of ordinary and barite concrete in radiation shielding utilizations", "id": "doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76402-0 (Scientific Reports 14, 26029)", "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-76402-0", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "open-access journal (licence not checked)" }, "subaar2026": { "title": "Radiation Shielding Performance of Different Concrete Materials: A Systematic Review", "id": "arXiv:2601.10336", "url": "https://www.arxiv.org/pdf/2601.10336", "year": 2026, "kind": "paper", "license": "arXiv preprint (licence not checked)" } }, "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "url": "https://spacemushroom.com/profiles/barium-sulfate/" }