Baryte

Baryte (barite)
Baryte crystals from Cerro Huarihuyn, Miraflores, Huamalíes, Huánuco, Peru
General
CategorySulfate mineral, barite group
Formula
(repeating unit)
BaSO4
IMA symbolBrt[1]
Strunz classification7.AD.35
Dana classification28.03.01.01
Crystal systemOrthorhombic
Crystal classDipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space groupPnma
Unit cella = 8.884(2) Å,
b = 5.457(3) Å,
c = 7.157(2) Å; Z = 4
Identification
ColorColorless, white, light shades of blue, yellow, grey, brown
Crystal habitTabular parallel to base, fibrous, nodular to massive
CleavagePerfect cleavage parallel to base and prism faces: {001} Perfect, {210} Perfect, {010} Imperfect
FractureIrregular/uneven
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness3–3.5
LusterVitreous, pearly
StreakWhite
Diaphaneitytransparent to opaque
Specific gravity4.3–5
Density4.48 g/cm3[2]
Optical propertiesbiaxial positive
Refractive indexnα = 1.634–1.637
nβ = 1.636–1.638
nγ = 1.646–1.648
Birefringence0.012
Fusibility4, yellowish green barium flame
Diagnostic featureswhite color, high specific gravity, characteristic cleavage and crystals
Solubilitylow
References[3][4][5][6]

Baryte, barite or barytes (/ˈbært, ˈbɛər-/ BARR-eyet, BAIR-[7] or /bəˈrtz/ bə-RYTE-eez[8]) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO4).[3] Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), anglesite (lead sulfate), and anhydrite (calcium sulfate). Baryte and celestine form a solid solution (Ba,Sr)SO4.[2]

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ a b Hanor, J. (2000). "Barite-celestine geochemistry and environments of formation". Reviews in Mineralogy. 40 (1). Washington, DC: Mineralogical Society of America: 193–275. Bibcode:2000RvMG...40..193H. doi:10.2138/rmg.2000.40.4. ISBN 0-939950-52-9.
  3. ^ a b Dana, James Dwight; Ford, William Ebenezer (1915). Dana's Manual of Mineralogy for the Student of Elementary Mineralogy, the Mining Engineer, the Geologist, the Prospector, the Collector, Etc (13 ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 299–300.
  4. ^ Barite at Mindat
  5. ^ Webmineral data for barite
  6. ^ Baryte, Handbook of Mineralogy
  7. ^ "baryte". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on March 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "barytes". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.