Barite

specimen number:
2063507

location:
Freighter Spring, Willow Creek, Custer Co., Idaho, USA

description:

Nice cluster of colorless to very pale yellow blocky lustrous mostly opaque tabular barite crystals. Complete all around with very little attached matrix, in great condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark, the label notes that the piece was collected by Claira Sofi in August, 2022.

Situated within the mountainous Paleozoic sedimentary terranes of Custer County, Idaho, the Willow Creek area near Freighter Spring exposes hydrothermal vein formations where barium-rich hydrothermal fluids penetrated fractures in the host rock. Prospectors and regional collectors discovered notable deposits in the surrounding district during early regional exploration, though the Freighter Spring site became predominantly known among field collectors for its fine micro- to cabinet-sized mineral specimens rather than large-scale industrial mining. The location is best known for producing barite, which occurs as sharp, translucent to opaque tabular crystals, well-formed bladed clusters, and heavy matrix coatings ranging in color from white and gray to pale yellow.

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