Barite powder is generally not classified as a hazardous substance, but under certain conditions, there are certain health and transportation risks involved, and proper procedures must be followed. 
From a chemical perspective, barite powder mainly consists of barium sulfate (BaSO₄). The pure form is non-toxic and non-flammable, and it is not easily soluble in water or acids, possessing high chemical stability. Therefore, under normal usage and storage conditions, it does not fall into the category of flammable, explosive or highly reactive substances. However, its dust still has certain impacts on the human body and the environment: inhalation may cause chest pain, coughing or respiratory irritation, and long-term exposure may lead to barium dust lung disease; it is also irritating to the eyes. Therefore, during operation, it is recommended to wear dust masks and goggles, and maintain good ventilation. 
In terms of transportation, although barite powder is not a typical hazardous material, as a solid bulk cargo, if the moisture content exceeds the permissible moisture limit, it may become fluid during transportation, increasing the risk of ship capsizing. Therefore, the "Regulations for the Safety Supervision and Management of Solid Bulk Cargo by Sea Transport" requires the shipper to provide a moisture test report of the goods and complete the relevant tests within 6 months before shipment. Additionally, when exporting, it is necessary to confirm through the MSDS (Chemical Safety Data Sheet) whether it is a hazardous material. If it does not have an UN number, hazardous category, and packaging category, it can be treated as an ordinary chemical product. 
According to different applications, barite powder can be classified into ordinary grade, drilling grade and high-purity grade. Among them, the drilling grade is used as a weighting agent in oil drilling fluids. It has strict standards for particle size and purity. Although it is not a hazardous product, quality control is extremely crucial to avoid downhole accidents. 
Barite powder is not classified as a hazardous material under normal industrial usage and compliant transportation conditions. However, attention should be paid to dust prevention and moisture control.