Barite

Unknown Owner

A superb example for the species from this old locality, glassy and mostly gemmy tabular crystals of barite to 3.0 cm in size are set across a thin massive barite matrix. This is complete all around and in excellent condition. In the 18th century this mining district was the most important in the Habsburg monarchy. Mining here declined in the latter part of the 19th century and specimens from here are highly prized today. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Renaud Vochten (Antwerp) who acquired the specimen from the University of Gent in 1960.