Evolution of using of the domestic barite minerals in the production of barium containing pigments

Barite and barium containing chemicals are important materials which are used in chemical and manufacturing industries such as pigment, paper brightener, glass additive, plastics filler and drilling fluids. The study is aiming to evolution of using barite mineral mined in Turkey as a raw material in the production of barium containing pigments. BaSO4 which is used in the pigment production was obtained from barite mineral by black-ash and leaching methods. In the black-ash process, barite was reduced with coal or coke or graphite to produce barium sulfide which is soluble in water between 1000C and 1300C in a kiln and black color ash was obtained. After barium sulphide solution was leached from black ash with hot water at 90C for 30 minute, BaSO4 powder was precipitated by addition of Na2SO4 in this solution. The white, brown and green colour pigments were produced by adding ZnSO4, Fe2O3 and Cr2O3 into synthesized BaSO4 powder. The colour performances of resulting pigments were evaluated by using in the single firing transparent glazes and investigated the using potential as ceramics colorants. In transparent glaze, white and green colours which are intense, thermally and chemically stable were obtained. Results demonstrated that barite mined in Turkey can be used in pigment production which has high value added.