Daily Dose of Happiness US # 15 - Tiff aka Barite
Welcome to the foothills of the Ozarks and the Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos featuring native Missouri tiff rock, also known as Barite, Baryle and Heavy Spar. The rocks came from Old Mines, Missouri, a mining community 30 miles southwest of the site. The Grottos were constructed without the use of powertools by Franciscan Missionary Bronislaus Luszcz over a period of 23 years.
Barite (Barium sulfate (BaSO4) commonly called Tiff in Missouri, is a mineral. The word barite is derived from the Greek barus, meaning heavy because of barite's high specific gravity of 4.5, which is exceptional for a nonmetallic mineral.
Barite occurs naturally in sedimentary rocks, hydrothermal ore veins, as well as in marine deposits. It is especially common as concretions and vein fillings in limestone and dolostone. Where these carbonate rock units have been heavily weathered, large accumulations of barite are sometimes found at the soil-bedrock contact.
Barite is also found as concretions in sand and sandstone. These concretions grow as barite crystallizes within the interstitial spaces between sand grains. Sometimes crystals of barite grow into interesting shapes within the sand. These structures are known as "barite roses". They can be up to several inches in length and incorporate large numbers of sand grains. Occasionally barite is so abundant in a sandstone that it serves as the "cement" for the rock.
Barite sample from the Earthcache location:
Uses: Barite is very versatile and is widely used in a range of industrial, automobile, and medical sector products .
Barite is also used as a weighting agent in the gas & oil industry. This mineral is used in medical applications for x-rays and gamma rays, in oil drilling operations for cooling the bits, and also manufacturing of paints.
13.4 million short tons of barite with a present value of $590 million have been mined in Missouri since the mid 1800s.
Identifying Barite:
- Color: Colorless, white, and light shades of blue, yellow, red; transparent to translucent; commonly stained superficially with red iron oxide.
- Luster: Glasslike, sometimes pearly in part. Can have a sugary appearance
- Hardness: 3-3½ on Mohs scale (harder than fingernail but softer than knife blade).
- Specific Gravity: 4.5 (unusually heavy for a non-metallic mineral).
- Crystal Habit: Interesting groups of crystals that are called crested barite or barite roses.
- Solubility: Insoluble in water and not attacked by acids or bases.
- Toxicity: Barite, in and of itself, is nontoxic because of its extreme insolubility. However, elemental barium and all soluble salts of barium are very toxic.
This earthcache is only available during the sites hours of operation:
April - October: 9 am - 5 pm (Except certain holidays)
November - March: 9 am - 4 pm (Except certain holidays)
Consider checking the current hours of operation on the site website (listed in Resourses) before visiting.
Logging Requirments:
The posted coordinates take you to a rock pillar. Study the pillar and Identify a piece of Barite from the description on this page.
Email or message me from my Geocaching profile the answers the following questions:
- What colour is the specimen of Barite?
- What is the shape of the crystals?
- Describe the surface.
Post a picture of yourself or a personal item with the bridge (virtual stage N 38° 24.755' W 90° 40.963') in the background.
Permission to place this Earthcache was given by:
Mike Scully, Director of the Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos
Resources:
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/barite-pub2904/pub2904
Black Madoona Shrine and Grottos
https://theblackmadonnashrine.org/
Geology.com
https://geology.com/minerals/barite.shtml
