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Formula: Ba
Barium is an alkaline earth element which does not occur in the native state. It occurs most commonly as
baryte and witherite. It
usually exists as a divalent ion, Ba2+, in its compounds.
Abundance in the Earth’s crust is 425 parts per million by weight, 41 parts per million by moles.
barium is commercially obtained from the electrolysis of molten barium chloride, BaCl2
(ChC).
Specific gravity: 3.59
Colour: Silvery white
Melting point: 725oC
Boiling point: 1897oC
Barium-bearing minerals include:
Carbonates
witherite
Sulphates
baryte
Phosphates
bergenite
uranocircite
Arsenates
bariopharmacosiderite
Vanadates
vésigniéite
Cyclosilicates
muirite
taramellite
Phyllosilicates
gillespite
macdonaldite
sanbornite
Tectosilicates
banalsite
celsian
Unclassified Silicates
hyalotekite
pellyite
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