Last week, Energy Workforce & Technology Council, together with six other energy trade associations, submitted comments to the Department of the Interior on its 2025 Draft List of Critical Minerals regarding natural barium sulfate (barite). Energy Workforce emphasized barite’s essential role in oil and gas operations and urged the Department to avoid any actions that could disrupt existing supply chains.
The Department of the Interior first declared barite a critical mineral in its 2018 Final List, a designation the coalition strongly supports. This recognition reflects barite’s indispensable role as a weighting agent in 95% of wells drilled in the United States.
In its comments, Energy Workforce wrote: “Without affordable and reliable access to barite, oil and gas operations in the United States would become more expensive, potentially more dangerous, and production would slow. All of these outcomes would be counterproductive to U.S. national and energy security.”
Energy Workforce and its partners stressed that protecting barite supply chains is vital to American energy development. Until the United States can secure an affordable and reliable domestic source, maintaining stability in global supply remains paramount.
If you are interested in further engagement on supply chains, please reach out to VP Energy Policy Maria Suarez-Simmons.
Maria Suarez-Simmons, VP Energy Policy, writes about industry-specific policies for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
