Barite - Specimen

Locality: Haut-Katanga or Lualaba copper belt region. Congo

Barite is barium sulfate, BaSO₄. Its name comes from the Greek for weight, because it is unusually heavy for a non-metallic mineral, with a density of about 4.5. It is soft, at 3 to 3.5 on the Mohs scale, and has a vitreous to resinous, sometimes pearly lustre.

Barite commonly forms well-shaped crystals, with more than 70 crystal forms recorded, usually as thin to thick tablets or prisms, and sometimes as crested or rosette-like clusters. It can be colourless, white, yellow, brown, grey or pale red, green or blue, and is often colour-zoned. It typically grows in low-temperature hydrothermal veins.

The Central African Copperbelt, which runs across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, is the world's largest sedimentary copper district and holds the world's largest cobalt reserves. Its ores lie in Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Katangan Supergroup, roughly 880 to 600 million years old, which were laid down in a series of rift basins.

This one of a kind Barite mineral specimen from the Congo features warm honey-brown to golden tabular Barite crystals layered in dense, rose-like clusters across a contrasting pale, translucent mineral growth. The specimen has a highly dimensional structure, with thin bladed crystals stacked in overlapping sprays and fan formations, giving it a sculptural, flower-like appearance. Small white botryoidal mineral accents are scattered between the Barite blades, adding contrast against the earthy brown matrix and clear-to-milky crystal sections.

Barite is a barium sulfate mineral known for its unusually high specific gravity, which gives it a surprisingly heavy feel for its size. It is found in hydrothermal veins, sedimentary deposits, and cavities where barium-rich fluids crystallize over time. Congolese Barite specimens are often appreciated for their golden, amber, cream, and translucent tones, especially when they form sharp bladed or rosette-style clusters on matrix.

In metaphysical traditions, Barite is often associated with clarity, grounding, spiritual alignment, and the release of heavy emotional energy. Golden and honey-toned Barite is sometimes connected with confidence, direction, and inner strength, while its layered crystal formations are appreciated as symbols of growth, structure, and energetic balance.

Chemical Composition: BaSO4

Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.