Barite Archives - Cochise College Geology

Barite

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Chemical Group: Sulfate

Chemical Formula: BaSO₄

Color: White, yellowish, gray, blue, red, brown, dark brown

Luster: Vitreous, resinous, almost pearly Transparency: Transparent to sub-translucent

Streak: White Hardness: 2.5 to 3.5 Specific Gravity: 4.3 to 4.6

Cleavage: 2 directions

Crystal Forms and Habits: Orthorhombic system. Crystals are generally tabular. Habits include massive, desert roses, crested clusters, spherical concretions with radiating structures.

Mineral Associations: Galena, sphalerite, calcite, dolomite, quartz, fluorite, vanadinite, siderite, stibnite, tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, etc.

Identifying Characteristics: High density for a white mineral.

Uses: Drilling mud, paper filler, for the “milkshakes” used in x-raying.

USA Occurrences:
Arizona: Magma mine, Superior, Silver Cross Mine, Castle Dome, Yuma County
California: Palos Verdes cliffs
Colorado: Sterling (blue barite), Eagle mine, Gilman, Eagle County (golden barite), Stoneham, Weld County, Book Cliffs, Grand Junction, Sherman Mine, Leadville, Lake County
Connecticut: Cheshire
Georgia: Emerson
Illinois: Minerva Mine, Cave in Rock, Hardin County
Kansas
Missouri:Lake of the Ozarks
Nebraska: Odell, Gage County (small crystals)
New Jersey: Franklin (fluorescent)
New Mexico: Kelly Mine, Madgdalena, Stevens-Bennett mine, Organ Mountains, near White Sands
Oklahoma: Lake Thunderbird, Norman, Cleveland County (desert roses)
South Dakota: Wall, Interior, Scenic, Rochford, and Kadota, Everett Hill ranch, south of Hot Springs (sand crystals), Phillip (sand crystals), Elk Creek, Bad Lands (septarian nodules)
Tennessee

WORLD-WIDE Occurrences:
Canada: Grand Forks, Madoc
England: Dufton, Newhaven and Midelton, Derbyshire, Frizington, Egremont, and Alston Moor, Cumberland, Mowbray, Mossbury, Fallowfield, and New Brancepeth
Egypt (desert roses)
France: Esterel
Germany: Clarahall Quarry, Baulholder
Morocco: Mibladen
Norway: Balme
Romania: Felsobanya and Cavnic
Sardinia: Carbona
Spain:New Almaden
Switzerland: Binnenstal
Taiwan: Hokuto

Toxicity: When-swallowed: low When-inhaled: moderate

Additional Information: Barite comes from The Greek word, barys, meaning heavy in reference to it high density. When crystals of barite crystallize in quartz sand as a cluster of flat crystals, they produce a curious structure that resembles a flower. These crystal aggregates are known as barite roses.

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Photos

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barite-hematite coated white barite crystals-Missouri — Barite - Hematite Coated White Barite Crystals - Missouri

barite-concretions of radiating crystals — Barite - Concretions of Radiating Crystals

barite-black crystals — Barite - Black Crystals

barite-brown crystal — Barite - Brown Crystal

barite-broken blade-like crystals — Barite - Broken Bladelike Crystals

barite-colorless crystal cluster — Barite - Colorless Crystal Cluster

barite-cluster of greenish yellow crystals — Barite - Cluster of Greenish Yellow Crystals

barite-colorless crystal — Barite - Colorless Crystal

barite-crystals with brown spots — Barite - Crystals with Brown Spots

barite-colorless-crystals-with-yellow-coating-China — Barite - Colorless Crystals with Yellow Coating - China

barite-light brown-massive — Barite - Light Brown - Massive

barite-crystal cluster — Barite - Crystal Cluster

barite-orange crystal cluster — Barite - Orange Crystal Cluster

barite-orange crystals — Barite - Orange Crystals

barite-pale yellow crystal cluster-Peru — Barite - Pale Yellow Crystal Cluster - Peru

barite-pale yellow crystals-Romania — Barite - Pale Yellow Crystals - Romania

barite-reddish brown-desert rose-Oklahoma — Barite - Reddish Brown Desert Rose - Oklahoma

barite-small crystal clusters — Barite - Small Crystal Clusters

barite-white crystal blades in matrix-Tombstone-Arizona — Barite - White Crystal Blades in Matrix - Tombstone Arizona

barite-white crystalline mass — Barite - White Crystalline Mass

barite-white crystals — Barite - White Crystals

barite-white-crystals-Romania — Barite - White Crystals - Romania

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