Home > LĂ„ngban Minerals – January 23 > MS0864 Barylite, Berzeliite

Barylite, Berzeliite - Sold


Barylite is a rare framework silicate related to the feldspar minerals. Blomstrand (1876) named the mineral for its barium content. Here barylite forms colorless tabular crystals to 3.5 mm on a fracture surface in hematite-pyroxene ore, mostly covered and overgrown by orange-red berzeliite. Berzeliite is also a Långban type locality specie, specifically an arsenate garnet, containing sodium, calcium, magnesium and manganese (Kühn, 1840). The mineral name honors Swedish chemist and mineralogist, Jöns Jacob Berzelius (1779-1848), who discovered the elements selenium, silicon, thorium and cerium. The berzeliite here is especially bright and deeply colored, probably an indication of a high manganese content. This is a great example of barylite with excellent contrast!

This specimen was part of the personal collection of Ralph Merrill, proprietor of the prolific mail order business Minerals Unlimited. He obtained the piece in 1963. Merrill's collection card and label also ship with the specimen.