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Barite

Barite is a mineral composed of barium sulfate and is found in Sedimentary & Metamorphic rocks. Barite often occurs as concretions and void-filling crystals in sediments and sedimentary rocks. It is especially common as concretions and vein fillings in limestone and dolostone.

Colors It Comes In - Colorless, white, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, brown, blue, green, gray, and black. May also be multicolored and banded.

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Fracture - Uneven

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Shape - Crystals are tabular, prismatic, and as grainy, platy, and coxcomb aggregates. Individual crystals are often twinned, and can be quite large. May also be bladed, massive, nodular, fibrous, stalactitic, and as perfect rosettes. Crystals occasionally contain phantom growths.

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Luster - Vitreous, Pearly

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Texture - Glass like to waxy

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Streak - White

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Where It Can Be Found - 

Barite is found in a few locations. While not a very rare mineral, it occurs abundantly where found, there are still only a few places scattered around to find it. Most of these locations are commercial mines since barite is such a lucrative commodity.

 

Locality - There is an area in South Dakota, called Elk Creek, that produces some of the best golden yellow barite specimens in the world.​

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Hardness On The Mohs Scale - 3 To 3.5 Out Of 10

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