Calcite with Barite

specimen number:
2092188

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

description:

A cluster of glassy absolute gem quality double terminated scalenohedral calcite crystals with minor barite present. This is in very good condition with some cleaving present as seen.

The Middle Tennessee Zinc District, centered primarily in Smith and Wilson Counties, is a major Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) mineral province known for its high-purity zinc ore and exceptional mineral specimens. Geologically, the deposits are hosted within the Ordovician-aged Knox Group, where zinc-rich hydrothermal fluids filled large breccia zones and solution-collapse structures in the limestone and dolomite. The district is world-famous for its calcite specimens, which typically occur as large, gemmy, honey-colored to amber-orange crystals with a distinct scalenohedral (dogtooth) habit. These crystals are often found in aesthetic association with lustrous sphalerite, fluorite, and occasionally barite. Historically, the district saw its most significant modern development starting in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with major mines such as the Elmwood, Cumberland, and Gordonsville operations coming online. While industrial mining has faced several periods of suspension due to market fluctuations, notably in the early 2000s and again in the late 2010s, the district remains a legendary producer of museum-quality calcite. Today, Elmwood calcites are considered a pinnacle for the species due to their impressive size, transparency, and brilliant luster.

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