Barita
Barita is a mineral with formula BaSO₄, in the Haluros group. This specimen comes from La Cabaña, Berbes, Ribadesella, Asturias, España and joined the Terrium collection in 2023.
Description
Yang of Berbes. Fluorite appears between the barite. Thick, satiny cream barite laminae arranged in parallel fans forming a sculptural matrix. Between them emerge transparent violet fluorite cubes with internal purple zoning. Harmonious ensemble, clean and well structured.
History of this specimen
Pieces 0056 and 0057 are the Yin–Yang of the Berbes paragenesis: two complementary pieces that express—one through fluorite and the other through barite—the visual and symbolic balance of Berbes. I will not separate them: they are the Yin and the Yang of lilac fluorite with cream barite from Berbes.
About Barita
Lamellar barite associated with violet-hued cubic fluorite; a classic paragenesis of the Asturian mineralisations.
About the locality
The Berbes deposit, in Caravia (Asturias), is a worldwide reference for its sought-after violet fluorite with cream barite. In 1970 explorations began that led to the opening of the Cueto L’Aspa open pit and to mining at La Cabaña, an emblematic site where this paragenesis began to be extracted. This is a typical piece from the classic 1980s geodes that produced very good specimens.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0056
- Composition
- BaSO₄
- Name
- Barita
- Group
- Haluros
- Category
- Lucimera
- Associations
- fluorita violeta
- Mine
- La Cabaña
- District / Municipality
- Berbes
- Province
- Ribadesella
- Region
- Asturias
- Country
- España
- Size (cm)
- 6 x 4 x 3
- Weight
- 88.8 g
- Acquired
- 2023
- Ex-collection
- Samuel Sánchez (Mineraru)
- Etymology
- From Greek "barys", heavy, for its high density.
- Quality
- Top
- Value trend
- Al alza
Related specimens
- Abellaíta — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Aerenita — España
- Aerinita (fibrosa) — España
- Analcima — España
- Analcima — España