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In 1808, Davy in Britain obtained barium from baryta using electrolysis. It is an element of Group ⅡA in Period 6, with the symbol Ba. In nature, there are the minerals barite BaSO4 and celestine BaCO3. Oxidation state +II, with 7 stable isotopes. Its elemental form is a silver-white metal with a slight luster; it is malleable and can be molded and mechanically processed, with a density of 3.51 g·cm-3. It has quite reactive chemical properties and can react with most non-metals; at high temperatures, barium burns in oxygen to produce barium peroxide, BaO2. Barium is easily oxidized and reacts with water to produce barium hydroxide, Ba(OH)2, and hydrogen; powdered barium catches fire at room temperature; it dissolves in acids to form salts. Metallic barium and its salts, with the exception of barium sulfate BaSO4, are all toxic! Barium must be stored and transported under an inert gas. The most important compound is barium carbonate, BaCO3, which is commonly used to remove sulfates from brine before it is fed into electrolyzers, and it is also a component of glass and ceramics. Barium chloride, BaCl2, is used to produce precipitated barium sulfate (in powder form). Barium nitrate, Ba(NO3)2, is the component that produces green light in fireworks and flares. BaSO4 is used as a filler in oil well drilling muds and similar products. Metallic barium is used to produce barium salts, alloys, etc., and it is also an excellent deoxidizer in the refining of copper. Barium can be produced by electrolyzing molten BaCl2 in the presence of ammonium chloride.