Barite

specimen number:
2292399

location:
Level 4, El Solar Mine, Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico

description:
An attractive stalactitic grouping of light blue bladed gemmy crystals of barite. In good condition all around. From the late 1990s.

The Taxco mining district in Guerrero, Mexico, is one of the oldest and most historically significant mineral-producing regions in North America, with silver mining dating back to pre-Hispanic times and expanding rapidly under Spanish colonial rule after 1521. Geologically, the area is defined by polymetallic intermediate sulfidation epithermal deposits, containing veins, stockworks, and replacement bodies hosted primarily within Cretaceous limestones of the Morelos and Mexcala formations. Active mining in the twentieth century utilized selective flotation plants, including the El Solar facility, which operated mid-century and processed complex silver, lead, and zinc sulfide ores.Decades of operations at El Solar produced extensive tailings piles containing residual heavy metals like zinc, lead, and iron, leaving a physical and environmental legacy that remains a major subject of modern geochemical and geological study in the region.

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