Baryte BIRUG 1064

BIRUG 1064 is a specimen of the mineral baryte – the primary source of the metal barium – on a base of galena. The uses of baryte are numerous; in the automotive industry it is used to reduce engine compartment noise, as friction products and as a component of paint and body-filler to enhance smoothness and corrosion resistance. In medicine, a meal of baryte is often used to increase the contrast of a CT scan; although barium is a toxic heavy metal, baryte (barium sulphate) is non-toxic due to extreme insolubility in water. This specimen was collected near Alston, Cumbria by Dr John Percy in October 1848. It was donated to the Lapworth Museum in 1915 by W. McLean and forms part of the McLean Collection. Digitisation was carried out by Courtney Szanto, using an Artec Spider 3D scanner.