Barite Mineral Data

General Barite Information

Chemical Formula:

BaSO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 233.39 gm

Barium 58.84 % Ba 65.70 % BaO

Sulfur 13.74 % S 34.30 % SO₃

Oxygen 27.42 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ba(SO₄)

Environment:

Sedimentary rocks and late gangue mineral in ore veins.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1640

Locality:

Roses of a red-brown color and sandy texture near Norman, Oklahoma. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek, baryos, "heavy."

Name Pronunciation:

Barite

Synonym:

Barytes

Cawk

Heavy Spar

ICSD 16904

PDF 24-1035

Wolnyn

Barite Image

Images:

Barite

Comments: Honey-colored very transparent barite crystal group.
Location: (1998) Meikle mine, Elko Co. Nevada, USA. Scale: 5 x 6 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Barite Jacobsite

Comments: Sharp, octahedral crystals of Jacobsite on a bladed barite matrix.
Location: N' Chwaning II Mine, Kuruman, South Africa. Scale: 3x2.5x1.9 cm.
© Isaias Casanova / IC Minerals

Images:

Barite Wurtzite

Comments: Compact, dark, metallic crystals of wurtzite intermixed with galena crystals and white barite blades.
Location: Huanzala, Huanuco Dept., Peru. Scale: 5 x 4 x 2.5 cm.
© Isaias Casanova / IC Minerals

Images:

Barite

Comments: Tabular, clear crystal of barite on a small matrix of pinkish dolomite. Fluorescence under UV light.
Location: Cerro Warihuyn, 2850 m, Miraflores, Huamalias, Huanuco Peru. Scale: 3.4 x 2.8 x 0.9 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Barite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.6289:1:1.3122

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.878, b = 5.45, c = 7.152, Z = 4; V = 346.05 Den(Calc)= 4.48

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pbnm

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.442(1), 3.101(0.97), 2.12(0.8),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 0 1) ( 0 1 1) ( 1 0 1) ( 2 1 0)

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Crystal Structure:

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Colville A A , Staudhammer K , American Mineralogist , 52 (1967) p.1877-1880, A refinement of the structure of barite, from Cow Green mine

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Barite
[1] [2] [3]

Physical Properties of Barite

Cleavage:

{010} Perfect, {210} Perfect, {010} Imperfect

Color:

White, Yellowish white, Grayish white, Brownish white, Dark brown.

Density:

4.48

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent to opaque

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Massive - Fibrous - Distinctly fibrous fine-grained forms.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

3-3.5 - Calcite-Copper Penny

Luminescence:

Phosphorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Barite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.014 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.014 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1428,KPDmeas= 0.1428,KC= 0.1448
Ncalc = 1.65

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.634-1.637, b=1.6355-1.638, g=1.646-1.648, bire=0.0110-0.0120, 2V(Calc)=36-42, 2V(Meas)=36-40. Dispersion weak, r < v.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Barite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.99 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Barite =4.48 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.1
Boson Index = 0.9

Photoelectric:

PE_Barite= 265.56 barns/electron
U=PE_Barite x rElectron Density=1,060.27 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Barite is Not Radioactive

Barite Classification

Dana Class:

28.03.01.01 (28)Anhydrous Acid and Sulfates

(28.03)(A++) XO4

(28.03.01)Barite Group

28.03.01.01 Barite BaSO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

28.03.01.02 Celestine SrSO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

28.03.01.03 Anglesite PbSO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

07.AD.35 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.A - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, without H2O

07.AD -With only large cations

07.AD.35 Anglesite PbSO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

07.AD.35 Barite BaSO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

07.AD.35 Celestine SrSO4 Pbnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

07.AD.35 Olsacherite Pb2(SeO4)(SO4) P 2212 2 2 2

07.AD.35 Radiobarite* (Ba,Ra)SO4 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Barite Information

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Ask about Barite here :
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Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
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Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Barite Specimen Label here :

Barite

BaSO4
Dana No: 28.03.01.01 Strunz No: 07.AD.35
Locality:

Notes: