I tried to put all of what I wrote about Baryte in the US thread, but there was not enough room, so I put the balance of it here. Authors should feel free to use any part of it to help them write articles about various US Baryte localities.
Barite
BaSO4 Orthorhombic
Michigan, Keweenaw Peninsula. Barite occurs in small amounts throughout the district. Fine crystals, although rare, have been produced from the Phoenix mine, Humboldt mine, Copper Falls mine and other localities in Keweenaw County, the Centennial #1 and #2 mines, mines on the Isle Royale lode and elsewhere in Houghton County, and in several localities in Ontonagon County. The habit is platy, and the color is gray, greenish gray and creamy white to colorless. Associated minerals include calcite, quartz, hematite, prehnite and copper. In the White Pine in Ontonagon County, barite crystals occur in sizes from microscopic to in excess of 7 cm. Barite roses have been found in fluorite in calcite veins cutting the Copper Harbor Conglomerate in Keweenaw County.”1 The fine crystals referred to above are really not very find when compared to barites from so many other localities and at best they can be best described as interesting.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 23, 1992, p 53.
Missouri, Morgan County, Lamb Barite Mine and the Buckshot Mine. “During our ’91 visit, we had the good fortune to discover a fair sized pocket, containing the finest clear “glass tiff” barite crystals ( up to thumb size on white to cream-colored “dry-bone” barite matrix we had ever observed from the Lamb, and most likely the best Missouri in several decades. We returned to the lamb (several more times)…Furi9ng our April ’94 visit, Glenn had exposed the upper end of a vertical barite-filled fracture…In October we were able to find what appeared to be a continuation of the vein about 6-8 feet to the right, thus it was decided to continue downward along the mineralized zone. Over the next three days, with some minor excavation (pick and shovel) we continued downward along what proved to be another significant find of high quality barite “glass tiff” on drybone matrix. The specimens acquired did not have the large crystal size of our ’91 from an overall quality aspect, the ’94 material must be considered superior. Once we proceeded below the front line, nearly every specimen was damage free, except for that which we imposed with the necessary semi-controlled violence required with the large pick to remove the surrounding chert and dolomite. The ’94 specimens consist primarily of clusters of barite crystals ranging from microdruse up to 1+ inches lying with their long axis relatively parallel to the surface of the drybone matrix, with many doubly terminated. A minority portion of the crystals will have their long axis at various angles, approaching perpendicular to the matrix or the other crystals. This mixture creates some superb display specimens. Occasionally, small rosettes of clear crystals are found growing directly on the chert with no underling drybone matrix. When this occurs, these rosettes are extremely clean, bright, and lustrous, sparkling like the finest gemstones. The Lamb cannot compete with its neighbor, the Buckshot for crystal size, however, for clarity and quality, the lamb specimens are equal to any other Missouri locality of which I’m aware. Some of the individual crystals will match those found in the book Cliffs region of Colorado for quality. For those who might be interested in adding a new barite locality to their collection, we plan to have a limited quantity of the ’94 material available at Tucson in February, Executive Inn, room 246 (Kevin Conroy Minerals).”1
1 Mineral News, Harold L. Prior, Vol. 11, 1995, p. 2-3
Montana, Carbon County, Warren, Pack Rat claim. “Amber translucent blades, zoned, to <2 cm on edge, packed in a group 5x6 cm. Also occurs coated with white calcite. Common.”1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of a specimen in his collection.
See if you can find out more about the occurrence.
Montana, Dawson County, Glendive. “Usually gold/amber tabular crystals to more than 6 cm, resembling SD crystals.”1
Described by Bill Dameron but doesn’t have an example in his collection. Ask him what he knows about this locality.
Montana, Silver Bow County, Butte. “Blocky nearly square crystals to 1.5 cm covering a 9 cm matrix. Dark yellow-ochre color, translucent but dull. Dull is the key. Common.”1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003 of a specimen in his collection.
See if there is a mine name?
Nevada, Carlin Trend, Elco County, Elco, Dee North Mine. The crystals from the Dee North mine are golden in color like those from the Meikle mine but usually not as transparent or as desirable. Crystals can be up to about 8 cm but are usually smaller. “The Dee North mine will certainly be remembered among collectors for its production of well-crystalized barite, in excellent specimens from thumbnail size up to large cabinet plated more than 60 cm across. …Two significant vugs have produced the majority of specimens, these having crystals of a distinctly chisel-shape habit. Many additional vugs occur, some of which reach enormous sizes, but which have not yielded specimens as prolifically…About 30 meters further down the decline…Here, slight probing with a fingertip disclosed a soft and highly altered area with a few small pieces of glassy yellow barite. Further work and enlargement of this opening revealed a small pocket full of loose floater clusters of brilliant yellow-orange crystals to about 8 cm. The pocket then widened into an open hole lined with large plates and knobs of spectacular, clean, undamaged crystals. The floor was covered by loose specimens from thumbnails up to one large plate 35 cm across, all of which were removed before extraction of the wall and ceiling specimens. Some of the individual crystals stand up from the matrix and are perfectly transparent, yellow and razor sharp. The largest examples reach almost 7 cm in length and are predominately euhedral, doubly terminated Singles. These occurred either nestled among drusy prismatic crystals, or as discrete “lozenge-shaped” tablets lying squarely on tip of crystal-covered plates. A large number of very fine specimens were collected from this pocket, some of which are the finest examples of barite from the deposit.”1 See David Cook’s et al excellent article in the sited reference for a more complete description of the specimens from this locality and pictures of some of the specimens.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 33, 2002, p 225-234.
Nevada, Carlin Trend, Elco County, Elco, Meikle Mine. The United States has many localities for good Barite specimens but if not for the recent discovery of some remarkable specimens at the Meikle Mine we would still be groveling before the grander of the British specimens. The crystals from the Meikle gold mine are diamond shape, tabular, shiny, golden in color and often very transparent. Faceted stones exceeding 40 carats have been cut from some of the material. Crystals up to six inches across and an inch thick have been found, but the really elegant specimens have smaller crystals. “During early development of haulage drifts and ramps, vugs were encountered essentially from the top of the orebody on down. …during subsequent work on the 328 –meter level, a huge vug (more accurately, a crystal-lined cavern) was discovered. This unsupported natural opening, although somewhat irregular in shape, has maximum dimensions of at least 49 meters in vertical extent and 27 meters (90 feet) in width. A plywood viewing platform has been erected at the entrance to the vug, and lights (always on) have been installed throughout to illuminate this amazing geological feature. The pocket has been informally named the George Bush Vug, since the former President visited it on his underground tour at the time of the official mine opening. The floor, walls, and ceiling of this “crystal cave” are entirely covered with thick, semi-smooth crusts of bladed, pale green, crystallized calcite. On some surfaces of the calcite, multitudes of sparkling tabular barite crystals averaging 1.5 cm have formed. At the end opposite the platform, the vug pinched down and plunges into a near-vertical structure ( a “natural shaft”). In this area, possibly due to increased fluid flow during formation…the barite crystals dramatically increase in size and abundance, covering most of the walls and ceiling. It is difficult to comprehend and to describe the magnitude of the crystallization in this area; on virtually every surface visible in the light of the miner’s lamp, large, deep orange-yellow, lustrous, undamaged barite crystals stand out from the matrix of pale green calcite. …The vug twists slightly and continues downward…and then drops off sharply for about 10 meters, opening once again into another large chamber. …statuesque knobs and bulbous masses of bladed calcite decorated with clusters of crystallized barite can barely be seen on the walls and floor of the room. To date, one has entered or examined this area. Somewhere a connection with drifts on the 373-meter level below has been made, as attested to by the air flow coming up throughout the vug…”1 The mine is exceedingly hot and it is impossible to collect in some of the pockets for more than a few minuets at a time without risk of heat stroke. See Martin Jensen’s fine article in the Mineralogical Record for more juicy descriptions of the barite pockets/caverns in the mine and pictures of some of the fine specimens produced. Even modest specimens from this find will cost you more than $100 and the best ones somewhere north of $5000 or $10,000.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 30, 1999, p 187-96.
Nevada, Carlin Trend, Elco County, Murray Mine. “So-called “sugar cube” (quartz coated) blocky barite xls to 2 cm in 8 cm group (occur larger); similar 7 cm group with 3 cm xls partially coated with quartz and partially not (lustrous barite faces). Common. Also very interesting flat, fairly clear thick tabular 3 cm xl with tiny stibnite xls on edges, hollow (hopper?) center of barite xl has a tiny stibnite needle in it, all perched on blocky barite xl w / tiny stibnite xls, 5.5 cm overall. Rare”1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Alk Casey and Jane about this occurrence.
Nevada, Carlin Trend, Elco County, Elco, SSX Mine. “Nevada is holding on to its “king of barite” reputation with yet another new locality—Anglo Gold’s SSX miner near Elco…Casey and Jane Jones of Geoprime, who are handling the material, told me that the new mine is about 24 miles from the now famous Meikle mine. The barites from this new source, occurring as tabular, diamond-shaped yellow crystals are quite similar to those of the Meikle mine.”1
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 33, 2003, p 260-1.
Ask Casey and Jane about these specimens.
Nevada, Eureka County. “Transparent yellow blades to 1.5 cm on sparkling matrix, small stibnite xls, 4 cm. Common…(small prospect not further identified).1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Nevada, Humboldt County, Twin Creeks Mine. “Attractive milky/clear tabular blades to 3 cm, pronounced saw tooth edges, in group on orpiment xls, 7.5 cm. Fairly common (this probably best of the lot).1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Nevada, Lander County, Battle Mountain, Lewis District, Dean Mine, Cumberland Adit. “Jim McGlasson…Littleton, Co…had some small, blue-gray crystals of barite…”.1
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 20, 1989, p 391.
Talk to Jim and find out about this stuff.
Nevada, Nye County, Northumberland Mining District, Toquima Range, Northumberland Mine. “The minerals of Northumberland are generally microscopic or submicroscopic with the notable exception of barite. …Barite is common in the eastern flank of the deposit. Crystals in excess of 12 cm have been found lining pockets in jasperoid. Pockets up to 2.5 meters in length and 2 meters wide have been found. Barite in these pockets is commonly etched. The crystals formerly lining the upper portions of the pockets are usually found in a rubble at the bottom of the pocket. The pockets appear to be larger and more common in the northeast area of the pit. The barite crystals are generally elongated along the b-axis [010] and occasionally show phantom inclusions of limonite. The most common colors are greenish brown, golden brown, gray-blue and colorless.”1 The crystals from this locality at their best can be described as quite nice. Certainly the 10 cm doubly terminated crystal perched on a small mound of barite crystals pictured in the sited article that is in the Neil Prenn collection is. However he is an ardent mineral collector and was manager of the mine (1981-1983) and that if probably the best specimen collected to date and most of the specimens from the district are of much lower quality and of less desirable color. The Northumberland mine is a barite mine and not the only place in the district that produces barite crystals.
Mineralogical Record, Vol. 16, 1985, p 39-40.
Nevada, Pershing County, Hecla Rosebud Mine. “Two blocky, porcelain-white tabular xls, 1.5 cm each, 3 cm specimen. Common. Also gray equant crystal, 3x3 cm, showing prominent etching or growth hummocks on front face. Very interesting, very rare.1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
New Jersey, Paterson. “Barite was found in a vein in the Prospect Park quarry in 1926 s opaque, colorless to white to bluish white crystals…The usual specimens are intergrown plates of large, rough crystals up to 15 cm in length. Small bluish white crystals were found in the Hinchcliffe Stadium site. A single specimen from this site contained phillipsite in association with barite… .”1 These barites are included here only on the strength that they are from localities that are heavily collected and have been for over a hundred years and are therefore of interest to some collectors.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 9, 1978, p 175.
New Mexico, Socorro County, Hansonburg Area, Blue Destiny 1. “Milky-clear tabular xl, 4.5 cm. Blah.”
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
New Mexico, Socorro County, Magdalena District, Kelly. “Barite has been found in many of the mines where the ore deposits formed at lower temperatures. Euhedral crystals are whit to pale pink or tan, up to 10 cm long, and form radial and interlocking groups with quartz and fluorite, Many fine specimens of tan barite on quartz have been found in the Juanita mine and similar ones occur in the Kelly mine.”1 This quote is from the excellent article on the Mines at Kelly, New Mexico sited below talks about “fine specimens” none were considered fine enough to picture in the article. The Mines in the district, especially the Kelly mine are much better known to collectors for the wonderful specimens of smithsonite that the locality produced. The Juanita mine in particular has abundant barite and I remember looking at a lot of it and trying to find a good specimen worth keeping and thinking that somewhere in the mine there must be some good specimens, but I was never able to find any. Most collectors and curators would look at a “fine specimen” of barite from the mine and think it perhaps interesting and that’s about it. The mines at Kelly were lead and zinc mines that were operated from about 1882 to 1970.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 20, 1989, p 19.
New Mexico, Socorro County, Bingham, Mex-Tex Mine. “Perfect thin white tabular floater, nearly transparent, 4.5 cm. Others less attractive are common.1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
New York, St. Lawrence County, De Kalb. Some well formed white prismatic barites were found at. This a old locality that you rarely see represented in collections today. I have only seen single crystals like the one pictured here which will cause no one to break out in a sweat.
Oklahoma, Cleveland County, Noble., Red Barite roses have been found here and dug for many years and are known locally as “rose rocks” because they look a little like roses. These barite crystals clusters are full of tiny sand grains and colored red by iron minerals. These are found growing floating in the red sandy soil at a number of localities. Some places produce better ones than others. The supply of these is potentially very large and limited only in the markets willingness to buy they. The crystals are sandy in texture and the crystals are mostly smaller than two inches, rounded and arranged in flower like patterns. You can get a good one for less than $50. Large intergrown clusters of these barites are sometimes available and limited in size only by the patience and the strength of the collector to lift them. We (Jewel Tunnel Imports, Baldwin Park, California) have sold thousands of them for $1 each.
Oklahoma, Garvin County, Paoli. “In sections 18 and 19 southeast of Paoli, large barite-claystone concretions cover the floors of several gullies. The barite is crystalline, assumes several pale tints, but does not form distinct crystals. These concretions range up to 25 cm in diameter. Almost pure barite balls of radiating crystal structure occur in scattered locations throughout the Paoli district. Known locally as “raisin rocks,” these barite nodules are almost concentrated where removed from clay by weathering. The nodules range from a few millimeters to several centimeters in diameter. A few exhibit yellow to orange fluorescence in concentric bands under short-wave ultraviolet radiation. Elsewhere barite is a cementing agent of the sandstone, and occasionally forms the well-known “rose rocks” consisting of rounded intergrown plates with much included sand, in the rough shape of a flower. The Paoli “roses” are poorly formed and paler in color than those found in Cleveland County to the north. Bedded crystalline barite occurs in several layers embedded in clay a few kilometers north of ….”1 and so on. The bottom line is that none of them are worth a damn as specimens but are just another example of how wide spread the mineral barite is in the world.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 17, 1986, p 373.
Pennsylvania, Chester County, Phoenixville, Wheatley Mine. “Barite was a common gangue mineral at the Wheatley mine, occurring as white laminated crystalline masses. It also occurs rarely as gray-white bladed crystals up to 2.5 cm and whit platy crystals.1 You will probably never see one of these or if you do you almost certainly will never remember it. However if you collect specimens from this old locality which are almost never offered for sale, you would probably want one. There is a picture of a small specimens in the excellent article by Ronald Sloto on Phoenixville in the sited reference.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 20, 1989, p 378.
Pennsylvania, Perkiomen mine Near……….in the18th century? Produced some clusters of white jackstraw like clusters of barite crystals. I have seen very few of them probably not because they were rare when they were found, but because no one particularly wanted them, and since it is a delicate mineral few of them have survived the passing of time. See the picture. These specimens are probably worth more for because of their antiquity than in any flattering comparison to specimens from other localities.
South Carolina, McCormick County, McCormick. “Two clear prisms to 1.5 cm on gossai, 2 cm. Fairly rare.”1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
South Dakota, Meade County, Elk Creek and Butte County, Hoover. The best barites from this locality are considered some of the finest in the world. “Crystals are commonly 2 to 8 cm in length, 1 to 2 cm in width, and tapered toward their terminations. The largest crystal reported from Elk Creek measures 30.5 cm in length and 17.5 cm in circumference. …Barite crystals are commonly found implanted on beautiful yellow or yellow-orange calcite (3mm to 2.5 cm). Aside from providing a nicely contrasting background, the morphology of the individual calcite crystals is unusual… Barite Occurs as colorless, yellow, amber or deep golden brown, transparent crystals that are elongate parallel to [010]…Length to width ratios vary between to 2 to 1 and 7 to 1, resulting in stubby to elongate prismatic crystals. Roberts and Rapp also noted that the dome faces on some crystals are curved right, left, backwards and forwards. These faces may also be rather bumpy and upon close inspection these “bumps” actually represent numerous growth hillocks which may indicate stress within the crystal structure. Th is supported by the extreme sensitivity these crystals have to abrupt temperature changes (e.g., handling a cool crystal with warm fingers); the crystal will immediately fracture internally. Nevertheless, Sinkankas (1959 reports that Elk Creek barite has been more successfully cut and faceted than barite from other localities because the crystals are far less inclined to split. Barite from this locality fluoresces and phosphoresces bright yellow-white under shortwave ultraviolet radiation…”1 “At the Elk Creek and Hoover localities barite occurs in fossiliferous, septarian, calcareous concretions. Concretions are found in several units of the Pierre shale, but at the Elk Creek locality the barite-baring concretions are found within the Gregory Member. This stratigraphic unit is characterized by the presence of Baculites gregoriensis. It is not known with certainty whether the unit hosting the barite-bearing concretions at Hoover is the Gregory Member or not. Along Elk Creek, limestone concretions are found in at least four distinct horizons. Generally, the best horizon is the lowermost one that occurs at or near the creek bottom. Since the bedding is essentially horizontal this lower horizon can be traced for some distance within the draws. Potential barite-bearing concretions can be characterized and oblate spheroids 1 to 3 meters in maximum dimension; they are septarian, fossiliferous and partially hollow. Septa are composed of yellow calcite. Invertebrate fossils found in the concretions include the Cephalopods…”1 There are two localities for golden barite in western South Dakota. Elk Creek is the best know of the two. The other is near Hoover in Meade county. The Mead County locality has also produced fine specimens and are usually distinguished from the Elk Creek locality in that the barites often form sprays of prismatic crystals rather than single crystals isolated on the yellow calcite. The best specimens will cost several thousand dollars and even modest specimens will cost over a hundred. See the good article sited below by Campbell, Campbell & Roberts.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 18, 1987, p 125-8.
Tennessee, Smith County, Elmwood Mine. Few collectors are going to go out and buy a specimen of barite from this locality because they form “white to cream-colored, frothy-appearing masses and nearly perfect hemispheres of spheres to 35 cm in diameter. The individual crystals comprising the spherical aggregates are semi-oriented and have a peculiar, attenuated form with curved faces. The barite commonly occurs on a matrix of sphalerite and/or fluorite, and sometimes galena.”1 They are not very attractive but become so instantly when the beautiful gemmy amber calcite crystals are found growing on them. They are often associated with attractive balls of shiny black sphalerite and blue fluorite crystals. The barite from this mine frequently has some strontium in its structure.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 9, 1978, p 215.
Tristate District, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. This lead and zinc mining district is located intersection of the three states of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma is better known for its Galena, Sphalerite and Calcite specimens. The barites are not outstanding but they are of interest to collectors who specialize in minerals from this district. The Texas mine NW1/4 of the NW1/4 of Sec 23, T29N R23E. near Hockerville, in Ottawa County, Oklahoma across the state line from Baxter Springs Kansas has produced some interesting barites. Mining in this district has stopped but in the first part of the twentieth century mining in this district was extensive and continuous for many years. There are literally hundreds of miles of tunnels and it used to be possible to drive around in diesel powered jeeps from one state to another through the various mines. Tons of galena, sphalerite, and calcite specimens were collected when the mines were active. when the district was active but barite specimens were rare. Pockets the size of rooms were not uncommon in the district and it often took longer to wrap the specimens that it did to collect them. Specimens from this district used to be a drug on the market, but today you do not often see them for sale. It is a mystery what happened to all of them.
Utah, Emery County. “One flat transparent clear 3.5 cm xl on yellowish calcite points w / large milky calcite xl pieces. Rare.”
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Utah, Dugway Mt. Range, Juab County. “Milky tabular blades, parallel to 5 cm perched on fragile pocket of tiny calcite xls, 7 cm. Rare.”
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Utah, Kane County, Orderville, Orderville Mine. “White thin blades in groups to 1.5 cm on mimetite balls, dark yellow wulfenite blades to 1+ cm. Exactly like Mexico San Francisco mine material. 6 cm specimen. Rare.”
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Utah, Dugway Mountains, Tooele County, Buckhorn Canyon. “Harvey Gordon…Reno, NV… had large (up to 50 cm)groups of bladed white barite crystals from Buckhorn Canyon…Some are associated with minor purple fluorite and make attractive, large specimens.”1
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 24, 1993, p 48.
Talk to Harvey and find out about these barites.
Washington, Northern Cascade Mountains, King County, Spruce Peak, Spruce Claim. “The Spruce claim in King County is now a well-established locality for fine quartz and pyrite specimens. This year was no exception, as more excellent specimens were produced. New this year, however were some large barite crystals. These typically form multiple, parallel growths of opaque, white, diamond-shaped crystals in groups and aggregates up to 20 cm. Specimens were available at the Tucson show from the claim’s owner, Bob Jackson…Renton, WA.1 There is a picture of what is considered a good barite specimen from the locality in the fine article on the locality by John Medici et. al. sited here.2 Barite specimens from the locality are not common and in the compared to specimens from some of the better localities, not very good. The spruce claim is on a steep mountain side and specimens are found and collected with considerable difficulty in spaces between large blocks of granodiorite in a breccia zone but only in the summer time.
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 21, 1990, p 485. 2 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 9, 1978, p 349-58.
Washington, Oreille County, Pend, Metaline Falls. “Thick dark amber blade, 1x2 cm on matrix, some palygorskite. 4 cm. Rare”1
1 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Washington, Stevens County, Northport, Flagstaff Mountain. Some unremarkable gray to tan barite specimens, usually associated with a yellow tan calcite have come from Flagstaff Mountain.
Ask Bart Cannon about this locality, how much was collected etc.
Wisconsin, Iron County, Montreal, Montreal Mine. “…a 2-inch diamond-shaped blue barite crystal on matrix…”1 The Montreal Mine is an iron mine. It is a locality not well known to collectors but has produced some good specimens. John Barlow of Appleton, Wisconsin has the best collection of specimens from this mine. “Classic locality, Typical pinkish elongated blades, some whit (quartz?) coating, in nice rosette, 4.5 cm. Also stalactitic growths of "“limonite"” with clusters of salmon colored barite blades to 1 cm, 10 cm. Also occurs in white or orange spears to several cm. Common."2
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 11, 1980, p 59. 2 Bill Dameron, personal communication, 2003, description of specimens in his collection.
Wyoming, Carbon County, Shirley Basin. “…tabular blue barite crystals in groups up to 7 cm from Shirley Basin…”1
1 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 21, 1990, p 485.
Ask Mel Dyke for a better locality and description of this material.
Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2009 05:07AM by Rock Currier.
