BARYTOCALCITE

    Class : Carbonates, nitrates, borates
    Subclass : Anhydrous carbonates
    Crystal System : Monoclinic
    Chemistry : BaCa(CO3)2
    Rarity : Rare

Barytocalcite is a rare carbonate of barium and calcium, known from a dozen deposits in the world. It appears by reaction of hydrothermal fluids rich in barium on carbonate rocks as well as in alkaline rocks, in particular carbonatites. It owes its name to its chemical composition. It is a colorless to white or grayish, sometimes yellowish to greenish mineral, which forms elongated, frequently striated crystals.

Main photo : Barytocalcite from Nentsberry Haggs Mine, Alston Moor, Eden, Cumbria, England, UK © Helen Wilkinson

Barytocalcite from Nentsberry Haggs, Alston Moor, Cumbria, England © Rob Lavinsky
Barytocalcite from Stríbro, Tachov, Plzen Region, Czech Republic © Vaclav Machacek
Barytocalcite from Stríbro, Tachov, Plzen Region, Czech Republic © Vaclav Machacek
Barytocalcite from Blagill Mine, Alston Moor, Cumbria, England © Martyn Coles

Barytocalcite in the World

The Alston Moor deposit (Cumberland, England) yielded 5 cm crystals, the largest known, associated with calcite, barite and fluorite. Other localities include the large Chinese rare earth and niobium deposit of Bayan-Obo, Inner Mongolia, the akaline rock massif of Khibiny (Kola, Russia) and the Russian carbonatite of Vuoriyarvi.

Barytocalcite in France

This mineral is not present in the French underground.

Twinning and special crystallizations

No known twin for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fake or treatment identified for this mineral species.


Hardness : 4
Density : 3.7
Fracture : Conchoidal to Irregular
Trace : White

TP : Opaque to translucent
RI : 1.525 to 1.686
Birefringence : 0.161
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : Hydrochloric acid

Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None