Barite on Malachite (classic material)

Item Description

Barites from the Shangulowe Mine are icons in the mineral world. They are not only the finest specimens of Barite found at any locality in DR Congo, but they are memorable for their wonderful association of minty-green Malachite. Even though these pieces were found a couple decades ago, they are still well-known to collectors and dealers alike. This piece features many rather lustrous, very sharp, soft grey colored, thin prismatic crystals of Barite with classic "chisel-shaped" terminations measuring up to 2.6 cm long aesthetically perched atop a mass of semi-botryoidal, flowing, mint-green colored, smooth, silky Malachite with altered / oxidized matrix underneath. The Barites are quite gemmy in areas, and nearly every crystal on the piece is undamaged. There are also two Barites which are doing their best imitation of a "Japan-Law" twin, though it should be noted that Barite has no twinning law. Lastly, the Barites show a wonderful blue fluorescence under UV light. A very eye-catching example of this beloved material from the Shangulowe Mine. These pieces have skyrocketed in value over the last decade, and I have this one valued now at $4,000 retail.