Post by 150FromFundy on Aug 3, 2010 20:16:26 GMT -5
One of our Day 3 stops was Whale Cove near Walton, Nova Scotia. Whale Cove was once a place where they slaughtered Bay of Fundy for their oil before the advent of kerosene as a lamp oil. Tide is out.
Whale Cove was also the location where barite from the Walton Barite Mine was loaded onto ships and off to market. The Walton Barite Mine operated from the 1940’s to the 1970’s. At one time, it was Canada’s leading producer of barite and for a brief period claimed to the most concentrated source of barite in the world. The high tide watermark is visible just below the concrete on the wharf.
All safe harbours required a light for navigation. The old lighthouse still has the original kerosene light on display. The wooden floorboards wreaked with the smell of kerosene spilled over its many years of operation. Laura is barely visible in pink saluting seagulls.
So, what’s so interesting about barite? Well, it is kind of pretty, but with a hardness of 3 to 3.5 it’s not likely to do well in the rock tumbler. With a specific gravity of 4.5 (quartz is 2.7 for comparison) it is like hauling a sack of lead in the knapsack. Actually, it is this high specific gravity (heaviness) that makes barite useful. Barite is used in drilling slurry to weight the material. It sinks to the bottom of the borehole forcing the rock spoil to the surface. Also, much like lead, barite will not pass x-rays. Given that barite (barium) is slightly less toxic to humans than lead, humans can drink it, or have it injected up their ___ for the purpose of medical imaging. Yes, we’ve all heard of the barium enema haven’t we? May you never have to endure one. Lets just say, they use an alarming amount.
Enjoy the pics.
Darryl.
Whale Cove was also the location where barite from the Walton Barite Mine was loaded onto ships and off to market. The Walton Barite Mine operated from the 1940’s to the 1970’s. At one time, it was Canada’s leading producer of barite and for a brief period claimed to the most concentrated source of barite in the world. The high tide watermark is visible just below the concrete on the wharf.
All safe harbours required a light for navigation. The old lighthouse still has the original kerosene light on display. The wooden floorboards wreaked with the smell of kerosene spilled over its many years of operation. Laura is barely visible in pink saluting seagulls.
So, what’s so interesting about barite? Well, it is kind of pretty, but with a hardness of 3 to 3.5 it’s not likely to do well in the rock tumbler. With a specific gravity of 4.5 (quartz is 2.7 for comparison) it is like hauling a sack of lead in the knapsack. Actually, it is this high specific gravity (heaviness) that makes barite useful. Barite is used in drilling slurry to weight the material. It sinks to the bottom of the borehole forcing the rock spoil to the surface. Also, much like lead, barite will not pass x-rays. Given that barite (barium) is slightly less toxic to humans than lead, humans can drink it, or have it injected up their ___ for the purpose of medical imaging. Yes, we’ve all heard of the barium enema haven’t we? May you never have to endure one. Lets just say, they use an alarming amount.
Enjoy the pics.
Darryl.