Description
A large well-formed barite crystal together with smaller barites and dolomite crystals, there is lots more to this specimen – it is one of those mineral specimens that turns into a world of interest once you examine it closely. When viewed quickly, it appears to be a good-sized, textbook-form barite crystal on matrix. However… There is a second doubly-terminated barite hiding in plain sight at the lower left and what appears to be matrix is actually an aggregate of dolomite crystals that are flat twins. In the middle of the large barite is a group of small cubic fluorite crystals. And all of the specimen is dusted with a myriad of tiny pyrite crystals. A couple of contact areas on the piece (including lower right on the main barite) in fact occurred in the geological past, as they too are coated with tiny pyrite crystals. In very good condition overall, minor rubs and chips. (Most Niobec barites are seriously damaged – specimens this quality are not common.) From the Steve Szilard collection, a good barite and combination piece from Niobec!
