IN RECENT years, the pattern of barytes consumption in Russia has changed considerably. InfoMine data for the years 2001 to 2004 shows that the share of total barytes production used in drilling muds in the oil and gas producing sector has increased from 44 percent to 77 percent (see Figure 1). This has brought the consumption structure in Russia into line with the overall world pattern. There are two main reasons for this increased share of the oil and gas sector in barytes consumption (against a background of overall increasing consumption volume). Firstly, the production of oil and natural gas in Russia has increased considerably, by 41.5 percent and 6.5 percent respectively, in the period from 2000 to 2004. Secondly, there has been a marked decrease in the consumption (and overall share) of barytes in the chemical industry from 38 percent in 2001 to only 1 0 percent in 2004. In addition, the replacement of barytes with dolomite has resulted in decreasing barytes consumption in the production of friction materials in the construction industry.
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