TERRIUM — A mineralogy cabinet

Barita Azul

Barita is a mineral with formula BaSO₄, in the Sulfatos group. This specimen comes from Los Templarios, Portman, Cartagena, Región de Murcia, España and joined the Terrium collection in 2010.

Barita Azul from Los Templarios, Portman, Cartagena, Región de Murcia, España — Terrium

Description

A 360° cabinet floater: glassy, translucent, parallel-growth, pretty grayish-blue spear-points forming a truly aesthetically remarkable specimen.

History of this specimen

It has a smaller sister piece (ID 0648) from Templarios. Although it arrived labeled as Mina Teresita, the seller admitted this was a third-party attribution. Due to its "visual signature"—virtually identical to the San Jorge/Templarios type and completely uncharacteristic of the coarser blue barites typical of Teresita—I am marking the original locality as 100% doubtful.

About Barita

While barite (barium sulfate) is highly prized for its diverse range of colors, its blue crystals are considerably more aesthetic, and the spearhead formations are even rarer, making them one of the most highly sought-after varieties of the species.

About the locality

The Sierra Minera of Cartagena-La Unión is such a rich and historically complex district that the shuffling of labels between nearby concessions is par for the course, especially when old or large lots have passed through multiple hands. It is a classic yet fascinating scenario in mineral collecting.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0649
Composition
BaSO₄
Name
Barita
Variety
Azul
Group
Sulfatos
Category
Meritum Persé
Mine
Los Templarios
District / Municipality
Portman
Province
Cartagena
Region
Región de Murcia
Country
España
Size (cm)
7.5 x 7.5 x 2
Weight
152.6 g
Acquired
2010
Ex-collection
Santos
Etymology
Barite is a non-metallic yet remarkably heavy mineral, hence its root barys (βαρύς), which means "heavy" in Greek.
Quality
Top
Value trend
Estable

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