Barite with Fluorite

specimen number:
2092168

location:
Crystal Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA

description:
White lustrous bladed crystals of barite mostly covering one side of a translucent cubic fluorite crystal matrix. In good condition.

The Crystal Mine, located in the Cave-in-Rock district of Hardin County, Illinois, was a significant producer within the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District. Geologically, it is a classic Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposit where mineralizing fluids migrated through the Mississippian-aged Ste. Genevieve and St. Louis Limestones. The ore occurred primarily as horizontal replacement bodies, known as bedding-replacement deposits or "blankets," following the structural strike of the host rock. This mine is legendary among collectors for producing some of the finest fluorite specimens in the world, often featuring transparent, multi-colored cubic crystals with distinct zoning and associated minerals like galena, sphalerite, and barite. Historically, the mine began operations in the late 1920s and was a major contributor to the American fluorspar industry through the mid-20th century. It was notably operated by the Minerva Oil Company starting in the 1940s and continued producing high-grade ore and world-class specimens until its closure in the late 1970s.

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