Barite is one of the critically important minerals in several industries, including the fuel and energy, nuclear,and medicalsectors.For decades, its extraction did not require any complex techniques; however, with the depletion of rich barite-bearing veins around the world, the circumstances have changed.While the demand for bariteis growingwidely, it is necessary to optimize and improve the existing methods forbenefication of barite and barite-containing ores, and create new approaches to extracting this mineral, as well as develop technogenicbarite deposits accumulated in large quantities during the previous ore production. Dumps and tailings often demonstrate high barite content, while new mining technologies make its extraction cost-efficient.Russian and foreign papers of the last 14 years provide data on the current state of primary and technogenic deposits, areas of barite useand the approaches employed for its benefication.Considering the expansion of the range of barite applications, thegrowing need for the mineral in the oil and gas industry and the difficulties in developing new barite deposits in Russia, the importance of new approaches to the enrichment of oretailings in polymetallic deposits is revealed.
