Barite (GEM crystal) (classic material)

Item Description

The famous Book Cliffs area in Western Colorado is the source of some outstanding quality crystals of Barite which represent some of the finest examples of the species not only from Colorado, but most other U.S. localities. This beautiful small cabinet specimen hosts a GEM quality, very sharp, well-formed colorless orthorhombic prism of Barite measuring 3.1 cm, aesthetically flaring off matrix making for a wonderful display piece. Most people don't realize that only a small percentage of the Barites from this locality reach this quality or size, and it's extremely difficult to get showy matrix pieces like this. These well-known Barite crystals form inside of Mancos Shale concretions, which have to be cracked open to expose the crystals inside. Most of these concretions do not host Barite crystals (let alone fine quality crystals like this), and water-clear specimens are simply rare on the market these days. This piece was mined in the late 1970s. From the collection of Lee B. Burnett of Morrison, Colorado (Specimen #LB 362).