5" Marcasite, Quartz and Blue Barite Association - Morocco

This specimen contains marcasite, quartz and bladed blue barite. The marcasite has a beautiful shine to it, as well as a wonderful clustered crystal structure. A quartz can be found seemingly acting as a glue between the marcasite and barite.

Barite, commonly spelled baryte, is well-known for its great range of colors and varied crystal forms and habits. = It is a heavy mineral consisting of barium sulfate, and typically has the chemical formula of BaSO4. The barite group consists of baryte, celestine, anglesite, and anhydrite. It is generally white to colorless and is the main source of barium.

Quartz is the name given to silicon dioxide (SiO2) and is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust. Quartz crystals generally grow in silica-rich environments--usually igneous rocks or hydrothermal environments like geothermal waters--at temperatures between 100°C and 450°C, and usually under very high pressure. In either case, crystals will precipitate as temperatures cool, just as ice gradually forms when water freezes. Quartz veins are formed when open fissures are filled with hot water during the closing stages of mountain formation: these veins can be hundreds of millions of years old.

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DETAILS
SPECIES
Marcasite, Quartz & Barite
LOCATION
Bou Nahas Mine, Oumjrane area, Morocco
SIZE
5" long, 4" wide
CATEGORY
ITEM
#64290