Barite

specimen number:
1655524

location:
Lahost quarry, Jenikov, Teplice, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic

description:
Dark lustrous crystals of barite to 1.0 cm in size across one side of matrix. In good condition.

The Lahost quarry near Jenikov in the Teplice district of the Usti nad Labem region is an active mining site primarily focused on the extraction of quartz and quartzite. Geologically, the area is notable for its exposure of sedimentary rock formations dating back to the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, which occasionally yield marine fossils such as fossilized clams, snails, belemnites, and shark teeth. Over the years, the location has gained considerable recognition among mineral collectors and researchers for hosting unique mineral specimens, most notably rare varieties of radioactive barite where trace amounts of radioactive elements substitute into the crystal lattice. While commercial stone extraction and industrial processing remain the primary operations at the site today, its historical standing among local prospectors stems from the diverse secondary mineral assemblages found within its rock veins.

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