Tabular crystals of Barite.
A single tabular crystal of Barite from
the Meikle Mine in Nevada.
Barite from
Stoneham, Weld County, Colorado. This crystal is 2.5" tall - top view on
right.
CHEMISTRY BaSO4 Barium sulfate
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY Orthorhombic
CRYSTAL GROWTH AND HABITS Barite crystals are dipyramidal and often tabular sometimes with complex intergrowths that can produce barite "roses". Prismatic crystals are also common. Barite can also be granular to earthy.
COLOR AND OTHER OPTICAL PROPERTIES Colorless, white, light shades of blue and yellow to golden brown
HARDNESS 3 - 3.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY 4.3 - 4.6
LUSTER Vitreous
STREAK White
BREAKABILITY Brittle with perfect basal and good prismatic cleavage
OCCURRENCE Often found in veins within limestone and as a residual deposit in clay derived from limestone. Barite is also found as a secondary mineral in sulfide veins.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS Calcite, Dolomite, Quartz