In 2026, barite was officially listed as a "critical mineral" by Europe and the United States, triggering adjustments in the global mineral resource pattern. As the core supplier accounting for one-third of the world's barite output, China plays a "ballast stone" role in the global supply chain. Its industrial development faces new challenges while embracing strategic opportunities for transformation and upgrading. Barite's key value lies in energy security. As a core weighting agent for oil and gas drilling fluids, it effectively prevents blowout accidents and ensures drilling safety. Additionally, its wide application in coatings, plastics, medical imaging, nuclear radiation shielding and other fields makes it an indispensable basic raw material for high-end manufacturing. The fundamental reason for Europe and the US to include it in critical minerals is that global resources are highly concentrated in China, India and other countries, while their excessive dependence on imports, coupled with the complex international situation, exposes them to the risk of supply disruption. This move aims to strengthen strategic reserves and industrial control.
    China's barite industry currently faces three major challenges: intensified competition for overseas resources raising acquisition costs, declining reserves of high-quality domestic resources increasing mining difficulty; potential trade protectionist policies in Europe and the US may restrict exports; the industry is dominated by primary processing, with insufficient product added value and technological competitiveness.
    In response, China is breaking through from multiple dimensions: strengthening domestic resource exploration and green mining, while expanding overseas resource channels through international cooperation; increasing R&D investment, focusing on high-purity, nano-scale and other high-end products, and expanding emerging application fields such as new energy and electronic information; building industrial clusters and improving the industrial chain; implementing a market diversification strategy to reduce dependence on European and American markets and actively participating in the formulation of international standards. Resource-concentrated areas such as Longnan City have issued special plans to promote the transformation of the industry towards intensive processing.
    The green and high-end upgrading of the barite industry is not only a practical need to cope with international competition, but also a strategic choice for China to consolidate its leading position in the global supply chain. In the future, technological innovation and sustainable development will become the core driving forces for industrial breakthrough.

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