Barite (ex Richard Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

There are many localities for Barite all over Colorado, from sedimentary deposits to ore bodies. This is a nearly 50-year-old specimen from the classic Muddy Creek locality in southwestern Colorado. Typically, the crystals from this locality measure up to about 2-3 cm, but the main crystal on this piece is a whopping 5.6 cm across, very big for the locality. This big crystal is very well-formed with high luster (especially for Muddy Creek), with a mixture of creamy-beige and silvery-grey hues. The left edge of the main crystal is actually gemmy(!) inside, showing that these crystals have a secondary overgrowth with the creamy-beige sitting atop the original layer of transparent Barite below. Several additional Barite crystals are present on the piece, but there isn't much matrix. The piece displays very nicely on its own without the aid of a base or clay. A great display quality piece of this famous material from Colorado. From the collection of Richard Kosnar (1946-2007), well-known mineral dealer and collector from Colorado, and the namesake for the phosphate species, Kosnarite. This piece was priced at $1,200 in our inventory.