An aid to labeling display quality barite specimens
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UNITED STATES except Colorado, Nevada
| Arkansas, Hot Springs County, Magnet Cove, Chamberlain Creek (Magcobar) mine |  |
| Thin clear blades to 1.5 cm. Occurs bigger, thicker from this barite mine. | |
| Arkansas, Sebastian County, near Excelsior (labeled only Excelsior Springs?) |  |
| Milky flat tabs slight zones to 0.75 cm in groups on quartz. | |
| Arizona, La Paz County, Pure Potential (North Geronimo) mine |  |
| Occasionally white barite blades to several cm; this is 4.7 cm specimen. | |
| Arizona, Maricopa Co., Rowley mine |  |
| OK, this is a wulfenite. But I can't get decent barites from Rowley; everyone wants the flashy wulfenite (for some reason…). These milky-beige barite blades to 1.5 cm are similar to Morocco material and many others. It does occur in better barite specimens, and clearer. | |
| Arizona, Mohave Co., Cerbat Mts. |  |
| Thickish dark yellow, not very lustrous, translucent tabular crystals to 2.5 cm in groups. | |
| Arizona, Pinal Co., Magma mine |    |
| Arizona 's best known (and most attractive) barites. These nearly black crystals are 4 cm. Occurs generally as tabular, lustrous crystals to 5 cm, sometimes gemmy, from nearly black to dark or medium amber. The Presmyk specimen (Wendell Wilson photo) is 3.3 cm. The group (there are also crystals in back) is very hard to photograph; it is 4x4 cm and was collected in 1981. | |
Arizona, Pinal Co., San Manuel mine |
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Clusters of colorless tabular crystals to >2.5 cm on light grey sandy matrix of quartz, with pyrite (per Mark Hay). |
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Arizona, Pima Co. Weldon (alt. Welden) mine &/or Quijotoa (mine, district, ghost town) |
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Pinkish beige blades in groups shaped like (American) "footballs" or sometimes more rounded rosettes. Barbara Muntyan's large perched "football" is about 10 cm, on quartz with some calcite. The rosettes on the miniature reach 2.5 cm; 3.5x3.5 cm overall, with tiny sparkling quartz crystals. |
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Arizona, Yavapai Co., Bradshaw range, Battle Flat district, Hideaway mine |
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This 2.5 cm crystal collected by Ray Lasmanis |
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| California, Imperial Co., Ocotillo, |  |
| Uncommon, ho-hum 2 cm crystals. | |
California, Los Angeles Co., Azusa, Felix mine |
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Thin tabular white crystals reportedly havea been found at this fluorite locality. |
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| California, Los Angeles Co., Palos Verdes |   |
| Accessible locality, commonly collected. Deep yellowish to tan translucent lustrous blades to 3 cm. Usually in groups. Also blue with white tips, crystals 2.5 cm (4 cm specimen). | |
California, Mariposa Co., El Portal mine |
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Crested white blades to 8 cm reported from this former mine. Blades in first specimen to 0.8 cm in groups on this 6 cm specimen; the wannabe crystals in the vug are about 0.7 cm; 4x5 cm overall. |
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| California, Mono County, White Mts., Champion mine |  |
| Thick pyrimidal light gold crystal, glossy with somewhat duller indented areas on faces, 3x1.5 cm, apparently a floater. Small crystals not too uncommon, and at least one fairly thin, tabular, clear, lustrous blade ~4 cm reported. | |
California, Orange County, Red Hill deposit |
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Some pinkish opague thin tabular crystals with cinnabar reported at this cinnabar locality. |
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| California, San Bernadino Co., Lead Mountain mine |  |
| Flat, tabular crystals to 1.5 cm in groups, clear with white rims/phantoms. Specimen 5 cm across. Also occurs in larger crystals. | |
San Diego Co., La Zanja Canyon |
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Light to dark golden glossy pointed tabular crystals to 5+ cm in concretions. The 2.6x5.2 cm large crystal (Rob Levinsky's) is one of the largest, although some were gemmier. This thumbnail of Cal Graeber's (3 cm) is somewhat more golden than in the picture. Collected in late 1960s or so, the locality is now all developed. |
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| Connecticut, Hartford Co., Bristol mine |  |
| Opague white blades in petal-like groups to 2.5 cm; also more transparent, tabular. With quartz. MR32 p.433 | |
| Connecticut, New Haven Co., Cheshire (Jinny Hill) baryite mine |   |
| 3x4 cm clear, zoned, thin tabular crystal. Also alligator-like small crystals, 4 cm specimen. | |
| Connecticut, Tolland Co., Somers | |
| According to John Betts, one-time find at a building site of translucent gray-bluish crystals to 4 cm on massive barite. | |
| Georgia, Bartow Co., Cartersville |              |
Occurs in a wide variety of forms & colors; one of the top US barite localities. Left to right:
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| Idaho, Custer Co., Spar Canyon | |
| Blocky crystals, fairly large, often pitted, not attractive. | |
| Idaho, Custer Co., Willow Creek, East of Freighter Springs |   |
| Tabular cream colored crystals rarely to 5 cm. Usually smaller, this 5 cm group has a nice 1.5 cm crystal. The larger crystal is 3 cm side. | |
| Idaho, Lemhi Co., Gravel Range district | |
| Good tabular white crystals, commonly over 2.5 cm | |
| Illinois, Hardin Co. |           |
Wide variety of specimens from the mines. Left to right:
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| Illinois, Hancock Co. |  |
| In the “Keokuk” geode deposits barite crystals up to 5 cm; this is a 1.5 cm crystal, with calcite crystals. | |
| Illinois, Pope Co., Gaskin mine | |
| Golden tabular crystals to 7cm on fluorite 8/74. Light sensitive. Uncommon. Also smaller, grayish crystals. MR6/5. | |
| Indiana, Monroe Co. (near Harrodsburg) |  |
| Golden tabular gemmy crystals to 2.5 cm, with dolomite (ankerite?), fairly common in quartz geodes, often with calcite. R&M 61/3. | |
| Iowa, Keokuk Co., Keswick, Keswick Quarry |  |
| Thick (1 cm) tabular 2.5x4 cm crystal in group, 5 cm overall, clear to grey but with off white coating. | |
| Iowa, Scott Co., Buffalo, Linwood Quarry |      |
| Light gray/clear glassy doubly terminated “coffin” xl, 5 cm (nearly complete). Also thin grey elongated blades to 1 cm in thick groups. The grey-yellow doubly terminated "spear" with some marcasite is 7 cm; the slightly golden clear barite and calcite crystal specimen is 3x5 cm. The 2.5x2 cm thumbnail is gem clear, very unusual crystal deep etching on bottom. | |
| Kansas, Logan Co. |  |
| Olive brown to smoky chisel crystals to 1.5 cm with small calcite rhombs on 7 cm matrix; usually from limestone quarries. | |
| Kentucky, Boyle Co., near Danville, Caldwell quarry | |
| White cockscomb blades in groups with fluorite, calcite. R&M 81/6. | |
| Maine, Grafton, Morse Brook |  |
| Thin tabular milky/clear crystals, 2 cm (to 5 cm), zoned, often skeletal. With quartz. King & Foord. | |
Michigan, Gogebic Co., Ironwood |
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Blue crystal is 5 cm (similar to Lucy mine, Wisconsin). Ishpeming Rock & Mineral Club Specimen in Seaman Museum. Iron-stained flat bow-tie crystals to 3 cm; very blue crystals on "back." 5x3.5 cm. |
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| Michigan, Houghton Co., Centennial #2 mine |  |
| Nice clear tabular crystals, Debra Wilson specimen, 4.5x3.5 cm. | |
Michigan, Gogebic Co., Ironwood, Geneva mine |
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Orange thin blades in rosettes similar to Mibladen, Morocco, to 3 cm. |
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| Michigan, Houghton Co., Humboldt mine |  |
| Contacted crystal in copper, 6x5.5 cm, Debra Wilson specimen. | |
| Michigan, Keweenaw Co., Phoenix mine |  |
| Fairly thick milky tabular crystals to 4+ cm in parallel groups, unusual. Seaman specimen 4.5x8 cm. | |
| Michigan, Marquette Co., near Negaunee, Lucy (McComber) mine |     |
| Thin blades in groups to 2.5 cm with manganite, 6 cm specimen. Rarely in larger blades in groups.Fine thin white blades with magnetite, 20 cm specimen; 8 cm ball; 10 cm yellowish specimen. These last three from Seaman Mineral Museum. | |
| Michigan, Ontonagon Co., White Pine mine |     |
| Water clear thick tabular crystal, 0.8 cm on nice copper crystals (5 cm copper group); Seaman Museum specimen with calcite 3.5 cm. Also iron stained tabular chisels in groups (this, and most, are thumbnails), sometimes with hematite inclusions, or unusually, copper inclusions (R&M 74/3); rarely clear-milky-pinkish taular blades to 3 cm in groups. Finally there is Debra Wilson's wonderful specimen 10x8 cm. | |
| Missouri, Jasper Co., Joplin area |   |
| Clear blades to 2.5 cm in group; 1.5 cm crystals on Seaman Museum specimen labeled Herald mine. | |
| Missouri, Morgan Co., Buckshot mine |   |
| Clear/milky 4 cm crystal on smaller crystals, 5x7 cm. Large crystal on Lasmanis specimen also 4 cm; 5.5x4 overall. | |
| Missouri, Morgan Co., Lamb mine |  |
| Classic very clear crystals to 1 cm+ on barite matrix, 7 cm. | |
| Missouri, Phelps Co., near Rolla, limestone quarry |  |
| Clear yellow flat tabular crystal, 4x2.5 cm, on blunted very pale yellow calcite crystals to 2.5 cm, with micro chalcopyrite crystals, 4.5x6 cm. (see R&M 73/2) | |
| Missouri, Ripley Co., near Shirley, Kreuger prospect |  |
| Somewhat thick clear pointed clear tabular crystal, 3x4 cm. | |
| Missouri, Washington Co., Potosi District, near Palmer |  |
| White thin opague blades in groups to 4 cm, with sparkling drusy quartz. This specimen 6.5x7 cm overall, collected by Ray Lasmanis in 1964. | |
Missouri, Washington Co., Palmer quadrangle, Showdens Point prospect |
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A ball of "tiff," 5x6 cm. Micro crystals of barite (grey) on white cryptocrystalline barite. Tiff is a common slang term by old miners for barite in Missouri; the town of Tiff was named for the mineral. Tiff was also a term for calcite in Wisconsin and Missouri. Very large balls of this were mined. ("Ball-tiff is concretionary barite which is finely crystalline, but in which the tabular faces are curved." - The Barite Deposits of Missouri and the Geology of the Barite District, University of Chicago,, a dissertation, Ogden Graduate School of Science, Department of Geology, William Arthur Tarr, 1918. University of Missouri Studies, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 1918) |
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Missouri, Washington Co., just west of Washington State Park |
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Very clear thin, pointed tabular crystal group, 3x5 cm, iron stain inclusion. |
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| Montana, Carbon Co., Pack Rat claim, near Warren |   |
| Amber translucent blades, zoned, to <2 cm on edge, packed in group 5x6 cm. Second specimen 5 cm (formerly completely coated with calcite). | |
| Montana, Dawson Co., near Glendive |    |
| Quite striking 11x1 cm (longest crystal) group collected skillfully by Chris Tucker. These gold/amber thin crystals usually up to 6+ cm. The smaller on with calcite is 2.5 cm. Chris' own delicate specimen on matrix is 14.5 cm long. From concretions. R&M 78/2 | |
| Montana, Flathead County, north of Niarada, West Flathead mine |  |
| In competition for the least attractive barite... These white coated 1x1.5 cm crystals are clear under the coating and stained with iron which won't come out with anything that won't hurt the goethite. The goethite coating has some not -unattractive iridescent spots. 4.5x7 cm overall. | |
| Montana, Jefferson County, near Basin |   |
| Blocky nearly square 1.5 cm crystals, dark yellow-ochre color, translucent, 4 cm group. Occurs larger but usually not better. "Skeletal" crystal with infill of tiny white secondary barite crystals is 3 cm. | |
| Montana, Silver Bow Co., Butte |   |
| Historic mines produced blocky crystals somewhat similar to those from near Basin (Mountain Con), as well as more golden-brown, clear tabular crystals, about 2 cm (Steward) and clear-white thin tabular crystals to several cm (East Colusa, etc.). Some are often labeled Leonard mine; perhaps doubtful labels. These thick tabular crystals on matrix with sulfides are 0.8 cm each. The thin sawtooth crystal is 4 cm across. | |
| Montana, Treasure Co., near Myers |  |
| Gemmy dark amber, thick crystal (4 cm) much like Elk Creek SD on small calcite crystals, from concretions. | |
| Nebraska, Gage County, west of O'Dell | |
| Perhaps only micros… | |
| New Jersey, Passaic Co., Prospect Park | |
| White blocky crystals to 15 cm (R&M 59/4) reported. | |
| New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson, Upper Street Quarry | |
| One specimen known at AMNH (R&M 59/4). | |
| New Mexico, Bernalillo Co., Galena King mine | |
| Thick blades coated with purple-grey fluorite druse, per Ray DeMark. | |
| New Mexico, Doña Ana Co., Palm Park Quarry |  |
| Thinnish translucent tabular blades with calcite to 3 cm, some rust stain. | |
| New Mexico, Sierra Co., Nakaye mine |  |
| Nearly black thin tabular crystals, .04 cm, with grey edges. Pyrite inclusions. | |
New Mexico, Sierra Co., Hermosa district, Pelican mine |
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Honey-yellow glossy flat tabular crystals to >1 cm with marble, 7.5 cm specimen. From the Day Tunnel of the mine. |
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| New Mexico, Socorro County, Linchburg mine | |
| 3 cm thin white blades, per Ray DeMark. | |
| New Mexico, Socorro Co., Blanchard mine |   |
| White or clear blades (this one 4 cm, but occurs quite large -- 15-20 cm), with tiny quartz crystals. Also small (0.9 cm) blade with galena, fluorite & wulfenite. | |
| New Mexico, Socorro County, near Bingham, Desert Rose mine |  |
| Milky crystals to 2 cm on fluorite (collected 11/99 by Ray Berry). | |
| New Mexico, Socorro Co., Magdalena, Kelly mine (also Juanita mine - connected) |     |
| The somewhat glossy blades on quartz are just inder 1.5 cm each (6 cm specimen); the next specimen consists of light rust-colored tabular blades to 1+ cm, 6 cm overall. Also 2.5 cm blade coated with thin blue smithsonite from the Kelly -- thumbnail. The last, from Juanita, consists of large tabular brown, glossy blades to 3x3 cm in groups on tiny sparkling quartz, 5x7 cm overall. | |
| New Mexico, Socorro Co., Mex-Tex mine, Bingham |  |
| Perfect thin white tabular floater, nearly transparent, 4.5 cm. Others in bladed groups more common. | |
| New York, St. Lawrence Co., Balmat Zinc mine |  |
| Thin, tabular white crystals rarely to this size (5.4 cm). R&M 73/6 | |
| Ohio, Wood Co., near Custar, Pugh quarry (France Stone Co. quarry) |    |
| Barite from the quarry is usually small white crystals; celestine is more common. Blue barite is less common, but these are apparently barite. These thick complex crystals are 1 cm, 5x5 cm specimen. Similar 1 cm crystals on Chuck Trantham specimen. The third specimen has tiny blocky white barite crystals coating yellow calcite scalenohedrons to 2 cm, 6x4 cm overall. See R&M 65/6. | |
| Oklahoma, Ottawa County, near Hockerville, Texas mine |  |
| White rounded off "spearheads" to about ¾ inch in groups. | |
| Oklahoma, Cleveland Co., Noble |  |
| Barite "roses," 4.5 cm each, dark orange-brown color, 7 cm, common. | |
| Oregon, Lane Co., Lookout Point near Oak Ridge, L&L Claim |      |
| Goldish thick tabular crystals, often large, usually with secondary barite, zoned, frequently with somewhat pitted edges. Left to right:
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| Pennsylvania, Blair County, Sinking Valley | |
| White blades, probably from 19th century mining. Jay Lininger had in his collection an example from Peter Zodac; reported in Lininger's Chronicles of Central Pennsylvania Mineralogy part 4 (www.pennminerals.com) | |
| Pennsylvania, Chester Co., Wheatley mine | |
| Grey-white bladed crystals to 2+ cm reported; unusual. | |
| South Carolina, McCormick Co., McCormick |  |
| Two clear prisms to 1.5 cm on gossan, 2 cm. An exception to the thumbnail rule. | |
| South Dakota, Meade Co. (also Pennington & Fall River Counties), Elk Creek |  |
| Gemmy doubly terminated 6 cm crystal, very clear tips, on yellow calcite crystals. Occurs much larger (but often with frosted "pyramid" faces). | |
| Tennessee, Smith Co., Elmwood mine, Carthage |  |
| Yellowish white 4.5 cm ball of tiny crystals on sphalerite crystals, 15 cm. | |
| Texas, Karnes Co., Falls City |  |
| Milky to clear thin tabular blades, some attractive (hematite?) stains; also with selenite. | |
| Utah, Emery Co. |  |
| One flat transparent, thin clear 3.5 cm xl on dark yellow-brown calcite points w/large milky calcite xl on calcite. 8x8 cm. | |
| Utah, Juab Co., Dugway Mt. Range, (Buckhorn Canyon?) |  |
| Milky tabular blades, parallel, to 5 cm perched on fragile pocket of tiny calcite crystals, 7 cm. | |
| Utah, Kane Co., Orderville mine, Orderville |
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White thin blades in groups to 1.5 cm on mimetite balls, dark yellow wulfenite blades to 1+ cm. Exactly like San Francisco mine - Mexico material. 6 cm specimen. |
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| Utah, Toole Co., Copperopolis mine |  |
| White tabular crystals to 2 cm coated with quartz druse, 6.5 cm group. Some zoning visible through the quartz. | |
Virginia, Buckingham County, Buckingham mine/Eldridge mine |
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Former gold mine. Crystals to 1 cm covering matrix 4x6 cm, ex-Philadelphia Academy, S. Ashmead. Piece from the Hunterian M&AG was from Frank Rutley (d. 1904), labeled Baryte var. wolnyn, an old name for this habit. Crystals to 1+ cm. The Virginia, or Eldridge, mine in Buckingham County is about a mile northwest of Dillwyn and joins the Buckingham mine on the southwest. The mine was known as the Eldridge mine until 1853 when it was sold to the London and Virginia Gold and Copper Mining Company, which was formed in London and incorporated in Virginia. Ore was extracted from more than 600 feet of open cuts, three shafts 150 feet deep, and underground drifts that connected with the Buckingham mine along the gold-bearing vein. The mine was closed about six years before the Civil War. It reopened briefly in 1939-1940. These specimens date from the early mining. See Virginia Minerals, Department of Conservation and Economic Development, Richmond, published by the Division of Mineral Resources, Charlottesville. Vol. 17 #3 August 1971. |
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Virginia, Rockbridge County |
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Thick opague white/bluish white crystals to 1 cm in large sprays.
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| Virginia, Warren County | |
Tabular crystals to 1 cm. |
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| Washington, King Co., Spruce Claim |     |
White thick tabular crystals with white rims to 4 cm, with broken quartz crystal (the "State of Florida" in this 3-D map of the USA.), 5x8 cm specimen. Dillhoff specimen is 5 cm. The third piece is the largest to come from the locality, collected by Bob Jackson (now in Liebetrau collection). The barite blade is 8 cm across. The last is one of the most aesthetic, a "Christmas Tree" of 5 cm blades on a very clear quartz crystal, 6x6.5 cm overall, collected 1996 by Jackson, now in the Dameron collection. |
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Washington, Pend Oreille Co., Metaline Falls |
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Thick dark amber blade, 1x2 cm, on matrix, some palygorskite. 4 cm. |
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Washington, Stevens Co., W. of Northport, Flagstaff Mt. |
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Grey to clear crystals to 6 cm, bipyramidal. |
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Wisconsin, Iron Co., near Hurley, Carey mine |
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Thin blue somewhat translucent blades to 3x4.5 cm, on typical iron-stained matrix with small calcite crystals, 8.5 cm overall. It's really this blue. |
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Wisconsin, Iron Co., near Montreal, Montreal mine |
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Left to right:
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Wyoming, Carbon County, Shirley Basin |
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| Translucent 3 cm blue blades, some with nice chisel tips, 6 cm specimen; Weaver specimen with thicker crystal. | |
BARITE SPECIMEN LOCALITIES
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