Had a bit of a look into Barite, as it perplexed me why the focus on it plus it's a mineral I didn't know much about. Some research below......
Natural Gas; because it’s cleaner and costs significantly less than other fuels, demand for natural gas is increasing worldwide.
But a “perfect storm” is fast approaching the barite market that will increase barite prices to unprecedented levels.
While many analysts speculate on the price of oil and natural gas,
a frequently overlooked factor is that the overwhelming majority of wells require weighted mud systems (barite) to drill for natural gas – whether these wells prove successful or not. With thousands of new wells being drilled each year, the demand for barite, driven by increased natural gas and oil production, will cause barite prices to continue to climb to record levels. The world drilling market has been experiencing increasing barite shortages and the issue has become critical.
The U.S. government now lists barite as a National Strategic and Critical Mineral (National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013).
http://www.baritedirect.com/news.htm
Schlumberger seeks barite mine approval
Drilling might be on the decline, but Schlumberger is having a fresh go at permitting a mine for a 50-year supply of barite, a key ingredient of drilling mud for use in oil and gas drilling, as the world teeters on the brink of a barite shortage.....see link
http://www.miningnews.net/resource-stocks/current-issue/schlumberger-seeks-barite-mine-approval/
But the really interesting thing is it seems
there is another wildcard in the mix that could further create barite supply issues: new energy storage technology using barium-based chemistry.
A presentation from Canadian company Voyageur Minerals who are developing their Barite project
http://www.voyageurminerals.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Voyageur-Minerals-Deck-2016-4.pdf
(20min delay)