Bulgarian Baryte
Baryte, also spelled barite, is barium sulfate (BaSO4) and the main source of the element barium. Its name comes from the Greek word barys, meaning heavy, and it lives up to it: with a density of about 4.5, a baryte cluster weighs noticeably more than a quartz or calcite specimen of the same size. Most baryte mined today is ground into powder and added to drilling fluids for oil and gas wells. Because barium sulfate does not dissolve in the body, it is also the barium in the drinks patients take before some X-ray examinations, and it is used as a white pigment in paints and coatings.
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Mineral guide
Bulgarian Baryte
Bulgarian baryte
The baryte in this collection comes from Bulgaria, and several pieces come from the Androvo mine, as named in their listings. Bulgarian baryte forms white to colourless tabular crystals that grow in sharp blades, fans and stacks, with grey or brown matrix showing between the crystals in places.
Other minerals in these specimens
Baryte often grew in the same veins as the metal ore minerals, so some specimens carry quartz and dark galena under or between the baryte crystals. The title of each listing names every mineral in the piece, and mixed specimens also appear in the collection of each mineral they contain.
How to recognise baryte
Baryte is soft at Mohs 3 to 3.5, so a knife scratches it. Its crystals are flat and tabular, from white and colourless to pale yellow, blue or brown. It has perfect cleavage, so thin edges chip easily, and the weight in the hand is the quickest clue that a white mineral is baryte rather than calcite or quartz.
Caring for baryte
Hold baryte by its base rather than by the crystal edges, dust it with a soft dry brush, and avoid sudden temperature changes.
Each listing shows the weight and photos of the actual specimen.