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Significant deposits are found in most western states as vein and bedded deposits. Nevada produces about 85% of total US production, predominantly from large bedded deposits formed by submarine exhalative processes. Reduced oil and gas drilling from 1982 severley depressed the domestic market as 95% of barite consumed in the US is used in drilling muds. Other problems for western barite include long distances to areas of major drilling, high railroad-freight rates and increased barite imports, in particular from China. The long term outlook for the western states is quite good as the average growth rate for the barite industry is predicted at 4%, and they possess large reserves (estimated 90 000 000 tonnes) of good-quality material amenable to open cast mining and low-cost processing., Significant deposits are found in most western states as vein and bedded deposits. Nevada produces about 85% of total US production, predominantly from large bedded deposits formed by submarine exhalative processes. Reduced oil and gas drilling from 1982 severley depressed the domestic market as 95% of barite consumed in the US is used in drilling muds. Other problems for western barite include long distances to areas of major drilling, high railroad-freight rates and increased barite imports, in particular from China. The long term outlook for the western states is quite good as the average growth rate for the barite industry is predicted at 4%, and they possess large reserves (estimated 90 000 000 tonnes) of good-quality material amenable to open cast mining and low-cost processing.