Barite with Calcite

specimen number:
2013490

location:
Capital Quarry, Rolla, Phelps Co., Missouri, USA

description:

An excellent example for this locality, this would have been collected in the early to mid 1990s. An attractive yellow partly gemmy thick tabular crystal grouping of barite is hosting numerous yellowish crystals of translucent calcite. This is in great condition all around.

The Capital Quarry, located just south of Rolla in Phelps County, Missouri, is an active industrial site primarily used for the extraction of aggregate and construction materials. Operated by Capital Aggregates, the quarry exploits the Ordovician-aged Gasconade Dolomite and Jefferson City Dolomite formations. These geological units are characterized by massive, light gray to buff-colored dolomite beds that often feature chert nodules and localized mineralization. For mineral collectors, the site is known for hosting vugs containing well-formed crystals of calcite, pyrite, marcasite, and baryte, as well as distinct manganese dendrites on bedding planes. Historically, the quarry has served as a critical source of stone for regional infrastructure and road building since the mid-20th century. While it remains a productive economic resource for the local community, it is also noted in geological literature for its well-preserved early Paleozoic stratigraphy and occasional fossil finds, including conodonts and marine invertebrates typical of the Ozark Uplift region.

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