Barite

Roger Buckley, Melbourne

Updated: April 2007

MNI0001
ISSN 1443-3567

Barite
The known deposits of barite (BaSO4) are small, and are
mostly in Lower Devonian acid volcanics in eastern
Victoria. Barite also occurs as a gangue mineral in quartzsulphide veins in many gold and base metal deposits.
There has been small scale production from a number of
locations, but the only officially recorded production was
70 tonnes in 1937 from Glen Shiel near Gelantipy. Other
deposits which have yielded small amounts of barite are
Canni Creek near Nowa Nowa, the Iron Mask mine in the
Tara Range and the Bally Hooly Hill area east of Buchan.
All of these are in the Snowy River Volcanics. Some barite
was produced from shallow open cuts in the Boulder Flat
area in the early to mid-1980s. This was used mainly for
drilling muds in the Bass Strait oilfield. Other occurrences
are at Dookie, Walwa, Deddick River and Accommodation
Creek.
For more information, refer to Victorias Geology and McHaffie,
I.W. & Buckley, R.W (1995) Industrial Minerals and Rocks of
Victoria, Geological Survey of Victoria Report 102.

The previous version of this Information Note was

published in March 2003.
The advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of
information only. Always read the label before using any of the
products mentioned. The State of Victoria and its employees do not
guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is
wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore
disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which
may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

State of Victoria, Department of Primary Industries

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