Barite

specimen number:
2057135

location:
Frizington, Cumbria, England, UK

description:
A cluster of lustrous gemmy barite crystals with minor attached matrix. Typical of these old classic specimen some damage present, this still very nice. Barite from Frizington in Cumbria, England comes from the West Cumberland iron field, a district developed in the 19th century primarily for hematite iron ore. In addition to iron mining, hydrothermal veins in the Carboniferous limestone produced barite along with calcite and minor sulfide minerals. The barite typically occurs as white to pale colored tabular or bladed crystals lining cavities within the host rock. Although iron was the main economic focus of the area, Frizington gained recognition among collectors for well formed barite specimens associated with this historic English mining district.

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