Barite with Fluorite, Sphalerite, Quartz - image 1

Barite with Fluorite, Sphalerite, Quartz

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A white crystallized ball barite measuring 5.0 cm in diameter set up on matrix with gemmy crystals of fluorite to 1.2 cm on edge. Sphalerite is present as well. This is in good condition. The Elmwood Mine in Smith County, Tennessee is part of the Central Tennessee zinc district and has been one of the most important zinc producing operations in the United States since it began production in 1975. The deposit is a Mississippi Valley type system hosted in Ordovician limestone and was mined primarily for sphalerite with byproducts including galena and barite. Underground room and pillar methods were used to extract ore, and the mine became world famous among collectors for exceptional mineral specimens such as deep purple fluorite, golden barite, lustrous calcite, and complex sulfide crystals. Although mining operations have fluctuated over time, Elmwood remains a classic American mineral locality.