Barite with Calcite, Sphalerite, Quartz

specimen number:
2072323

location:
Elmwood Mine, Smith Co., Tennessee, USA

description:
Crystallized balls of white barite to 9.0 cm in diameter set nicely across the top of a matrix coated with quartz crystal and lustrous crystals of sphalerite to 3.0 cm in size. Small crystals of calcite are scattered throughout. This is in good condition.

The Elmwood Mine, located in Smith County, Tennessee, is a world-famous Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposit situated within the Gordonsville District of the Central Tennessee Zinc Belt. Geologically, the mineralization is hosted in the Lower Ordovician Mascot Dolomite, where brecciated structures and dissolution cavities allowed for the deposition of spectacular crystals from metal-rich hydrothermal fluids. While the mine is primarily known for its lustrous sphalerite and fluorite, it is also a significant producer of barite, which typically occurs as white to cream-colored, spherical crystal groupings that provide an aesthetic contrast to the darker sulfides. Historically, mining and quarrying operations at Elmwood began in the late 1960s after discovery by the New Jersey Zinc Company, with formal production of zinc ore commencing in 1975. The mine has seen several periods of closure and reopening due to market fluctuations, notably shutting down in 2003 before being revitalized under new ownership in the late 2000s and 2010s. As of 2026, Elmwood remains an active industrial operation and a premier source for high-quality mineral specimens, valued globally for the size, complexity, and structural perfection of its barite and associated minerals.

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