3.1" Tabular, Blue Barite Crystal Cluster - Spain

This is a beautiful specimen of tabular, blue barite crystals from Spain. Based in similar specimens I believe these came from the Teresita mine near Murcia but I'm not confident. The bladed crystals are well defined with almost no chipping and there is some minor iron staining on the piece.

Barite sometimes spelled Baryte (Barium sulfate) is well-known for its great range of colors and varied crystal habits. It is easily identifiable by its heavy weight, since most similar minerals are much lighter. It occurs in a large number of depositional environments, and is deposited through a large number of processes including biogenic, hydrothermal, and evaporation, among others