Barite, from Bowers Quarry, Isle of Portland, Weymouth, UK (REF:BWUK1)

Barite is a barium sulphate crystal with an orthorhombic crystal system. Most often it is colourless, white, light blue or green. Less frequently, it can be yellowish or reddish brown. It forms in a variety of patterns, is frequently tabular, but can also occur in rosettes, crested or granular shapes. One of the most common occurrences of Barite is a rosette formation known as the ‘desert rose’. Barite is found most abundantly in England, Romania and the USA.