Golden Barite is prized for its high luster and distinct, well-formed tabular or prismatic crystals. It is frequently found in classic hydrothermal lead-zinc deposits where it forms stunning yellow clusters often associated with dark galena or purple fluorite.
Is this golden barite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch golden barite with a known reference. Golden Barite sits at Mohs 3-3.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, golden yellow, amber, brownish-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular, prismatic, or bladed crystals.
Often confused with
Golden Barite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Golden Barite and adamantine, resinous to vitreous on Anglesite.
How to tell apart: Golden Barite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3-3.5 vs. 1.5-2); luster reads vitreous on Golden Barite and subvitreous, pearly on {010} cleavages, silky if fibrous on Gypsum.
Often found alongside golden barite
Minerals reported to co-occur with golden barite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- BaSO₄
- Mohs hardness
- 3-3.5
- Density
- 4.5 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular, prismatic, or bladed crystals
- Cleavage
- Perfect basal and prismatic
- Fluorescence
- Often fluorescent yellow or white under SW UV
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Specimen
- Host rock
- hydrothermal veins, sedimentary limestone cavities
Where rockhounds find golden barite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Elmwood, Tennessee, USA
- Rockford, Illinois, USA
- Machow, Poland
- Cave-in-Rock, Illinois, USA
- Romania
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: hydrothermal veins, sedimentary limestone cavities. If you start seeing fluorite, calcite, galena in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular, prismatic, or bladed crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in South Dakota. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find golden barite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
