Baryte on Witherite on Calcite

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For a white mineral, or minerals, this Baryte on Witherite on Calcite specimen is quite attractive. It comes from the Hilton mine at Scordale, more famous for its amber-coloured Fluorite than its barium minerals. Not only is it unique in its appearance as Witherite, but it presents an interesting geochemical story too. The discrete, individual, quite shapely squat, pseudohexagonal tapering prisms of Witherite are perched upon an earlier bed of coarsely crystallized Calcite but appear to be raised up off the surface. Both are carbonates, but at some point in the geological past a sulphur-rich acidic solution has passed through, reacting with the Witherite (barium carbonate) to form an alteration crust/coating of Baryte (barium sulphate) whilst also dissolving part of the upper surface of the Calcite, creating the effect of the Witherite crystals hovering. A fascinating yet pretty, cabinet sized display specimen of Witherite from an unusual occurrence on the edge of the North Pennines.