very large Baryte xl incl. w/ Pyrite (classic locale) Chet Lemanski Coll.

Item Description

A fantastic large and stout barite crystal from this well-known Quebec mine, in ridiculous size and quality! The striking sharp tabular prism has a dramatic classic chisel termination. Two side edges are coated with sparkly drusy pyrite, with most of the prism strikingly enveloped in a later generation of glassy barite, with some faces also having pyrite inclusions. The contact on the back reveals the glassy, translucent gray interior of the crystal. The Niobec Mine was mined for Niobium, a rare REE. Solution cavities in the limestone occasionally hosted these large barite crystals. They reached 40 cm and 20 kg in weight! See the 1981 Mineralogical Record article in Vol. 12, No. 6. Ex Chet Lemanski Collection and acquired in 1998. An impressive large single barite crystal from the locale. Hefty mass is 2627 grams or 5.8 pounds. Seldom on the market today, this is a real treasure for what it is. I cannot recall seeing one for sale in years.