THE MINERAL BARATOVITE

  • Chemistry: KLi3Ca7(Ti, Zr)2(SiO3)12F2, Potassium Lithium Calcium Titanium Zirconium Silicate Fluoride.
  • Class: Silicates
  • Subclass: cyclosilicates
  • Uses: only as a mineral specimen
  • Specimens
Baratovite is a very rare silicate mineral. It is extremely new on the mineral scene since it was only described in the last twenty five years. Baratovite is a cyclosilicate which means that the structure is composed of silicate tetrahedrons linked together so that they form isolated rings. Baratovite is one of the rare minerals that are coming out of the former USSR and finding their way onto the mineral markets. Baratovite has the "look" of muscovite but is easily distinguished by its brilliant blue fluorescence under ultra-violet light.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Color is white with pinkish tints.
  • Luster is pearly.
  • Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent.
  • Crystal System is monoclinic (pseudo-hexagonal); 2/m
  • Crystal Habits include flattened pseudohexagonal crystals also massive and lamellar.
  • Cleavage: perfect in one direction.
  • Fracture: uneven
  • Hardness is 3.5
  • Specific Gravity is approximately 2.9 (average)
  • Streak is white.
  • Other Characteristics: fluoresces brilliant blue under UV light.
  • Associated Minerals include aegerine, misterite and other rare silicates.
  • Notable Occurrences include Dara-Pioz, Tien-Shan Mountains, Tadzhikistan.
  • Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, fluorescence, cleavage, associations and locality.
BARATOVITE specimens:
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BARATOVITE specimen bat-1
$ 45.00
Dims: 1-3/8" x 1-1/8" x 7/8"
Wt: 26.8 g
Dara-I-Pioz, Tien-Shan Mts., Khazakstan
This little thumbnail is supposedly a bit rare, and, better still, it's fluorescent, showing a strong white under a shortwave UV source! Baratovite has the pearly luster and appearance of basal cleavage that reminds me of muscovite, or perhaps moonstone. Anyway, its color is a pale pink, and there is a small amount of it on a matrix composed of mixed aegrine and misterite. It shows some of the best white fluorescence that I've seen- it's right up there with hydrozincite!
no photo
bat-1 ($ 45.00)
Dara-I-Pioz, Tien-Shan Mts., Khazakstan
BARATOVITE specimen bat-2
$ 75.00
Dims:2.0x1.6x1.0" (5.1x4.1x2.5 cm)
Wt: 2.1oz. (60g)
Dara-L-Pioz, Alai Range, Tien Shan, Tadzhikstan
This is a rich specimen of the mineral baratovite, with aegirine and misterite. Under ultraviolet light, the baratovite fluoresces a beautiful blue color. The crystals are micaceous in appearance. There is no discernable damage to these crystals.
no photo
bat-2 ($ 75.00)
Dara-L-Pioz, Alai Range, Tien Shan, Tadzhikstan
BARATOVITE specimen bat-3
$ 75.00
Dims:2.3x1.2x0.9" (5.8x3.0x2.3 cm)
Wt: 2.0oz. (56g)
Dara-L-Pioz, Alai Range, Tien Shan, Tadzhikstan
This specimen consists of grains and blebs of baratovite in an aegirine and misterite host rock. The best way to identify the baratovite is by putting it under an ultraviolet light. The places that fluoresce strongly are baratovite. I could not determine the monoclinic form from this specimen, although it is at least semi-crystalline in nature. There is no damage to this specimen.
no photo
bat-3 ($ 75.00)
Dara-L-Pioz, Alai Range, Tien Shan, Tadzhikstan
 

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