Brilliant Barite/Baryite approx 5cm 48g Comes With Box As Shown
Baryte (also spelled barite) is a mineral composed of barium sulfate (BaSO_4). It's a popular mineral among collectors due to its interesting crystal habits and can be found in a range of colors.
Here's a detailed description of baryte crystals:
1. Chemical Composition and Properties:
* Formula: BaSO_4 (Barium Sulfate).
* Specific Gravity: Notably high for a non-metallic mineral, typically around 4.3-4.5 g/cm^3. This density is why it was historically called "heavy spar."
* Hardness: Relatively soft, ranking 3-3.5 on the Mohs scale, making it brittle and challenging to facet as a gemstone.
* Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to pearly, especially on cleavage surfaces.
* Streak: White.
* Transparency: Can range from transparent to translucent to opaque.
* Cleavage: Perfect in one direction ({001}) and less perfect in others ({210} and {010}). This often results in characteristic flat, plate-like crystals.
* Fracture: Irregular/Uneven.
2. Crystal Habits (Forms):
Baryte exhibits a wide variety of crystal forms, making it quite diverse in appearance:
* Tabular Crystals: This is one of the most common habits, where crystals are thin to thick and flattened, often forming in parallel or radiating clusters. They can sometimes have a distinctive chisel-like shape.
* Bladed Crystals: Similar to tabular but often more elongated and flattened.
* Prismatic Crystals: Less common, where the crystals are longer and more column-like.
* Rosettes (Desert Roses): A famous and highly sought-after formation where bladed crystals radiate outwards from a central point, resembling a rose blossom. These often incorporate sand grains from the environment where they formed.
* Fibrous: Appearing as a mass of fine, thread-like crystals.
* Massive: Occurring in large, shapeless masses without distinct crystal faces.
* Granular: Composed of small, distinct grains.
* Concretionary/Nodular: Forming rounded or irregular masses.
* Stalactitic: In rare instances, forming stalactite-like structures.
* Crested Baryte: Divergent plates that form a crest-like appearance.
3. Color:
While often colorless or white, baryte can be found in a range of colors depending on impurities:
* White: Very common.
* Colorless: Often transparent.
* Yellow/Brown: Common hues.
* Blue: Highly prized and can sometimes resemble aquamarine.
* Grey: Also seen.
* Green: Less common.
* Reddish-brown: Can also occur.
4. Formation and Occurrence:
Baryte forms in various geological environments:
* Hydrothermal Ore Veins: Commonly associated with lead and zinc deposits, where barium sulfate precipitates from hot underground waters.
* Sedimentary Rocks: Can form when baryte precipitates onto the bottom of ocean floors.
* Clay Deposits: Formed by the weathering of limestone.
* Marine Deposits.
* Cavities in Igneous Rock.
* Desert Environments: The "desert rose" habit specifically forms in arid, sandy conditions, often through the evaporation of shallow salt basins.
5. Uses:
Beyond its appeal to collectors, baryte has significant industrial applications due to its high density, insolubility, and chemical inertness:
* Weighting Agent: Primarily used in drilling fluids (mud) for oil and gas wells.
* Filler: In paints, plastics, rubber, paper, and even phonograph records.
* Source of Barium: For the chemical industry.
* Radiation Shielding: Used in special concrete for X-ray and nuclear installations.
* Medical Applications: Barium sulfate is used as a contrast agent in medical imaging (e.g., barium swallows).
- In summary, baryte crystals are fascinating for their diverse forms, ranging from delicate "desert roses" to sharp, tabular crystals, and their varied coloration, making them a popular subject for mineral enthusiasts.