BARATOVITE
Specimen bat-2

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!

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.

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.