Barite with Hematite, Chalcopyrite

specimen number:
2013484

location:
Pea Ridge Mine, Washington Co., Missouri, USA

description:
An outstanding large chocolate brown grouping of thin bladed barite crystals without matrix. Most of these that I have ever seen are usually badly damaged. This one shows minimal damage and is one of the better barite specimens I have personally seen from this locality. The color is due to a coating of hematite. Crystals of chalcopyrite are scattered throughout. Previously from the collection of John Foltz.

The Pea Ridge Mine, located in Washington County, Missouri, is part of the St. Francois Mountains region and is one of the most significant iron deposits in the United States. The deposit is hosted in Precambrian igneous rocks and is interpreted as an iron oxide rich system associated with ancient volcanic and hydrothermal activity. Mining began in 1964 with large scale underground operations extracting magnetite rich ore, and the mine became an important domestic source of iron. In addition to iron, the deposit is notable for containing rare earth elements and associated minerals within breccia zones and altered host rock. Operations continued until 2001, when the mine closed due to economic factors.

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