Baryte

This fabulous Baryte crystal from the Frizington mining district of West Cumbria is so reasonably priced simply because its exact location has gone unrecorded. However, it was common practice not to accurately record mine names when such specimens were being produced, either to keep sources a secret or simply because specimens from several mines in each area were pooled by miners to sell on to local dealers. This 11.5 cm long flattened Baryte double-terminated crystal is translucent barley sugar-orange with a thin extended, protruding wafer of light duck-egg blue near its middle. The crystal tips grade to almost colourless and are reasonably gemmy. The crystal has a superbly smooth surface texture and a bright glassy lustre. A terrific and well-crystallised Cumbrian Baryte.