baryte

{{Infobox mineral | name = Barite | category = Sulfate mineral, barite group | boxwidth = | boxbgcolor = | image = Barite - Cerro Warihuyn, Miraflores, Huamalies, Huanuco, Peru.jpg | imagesize = 260px | caption = Baryte crystals from Cerro Huarihuyn, Miraflores, Huamalíes, Huánuco, Peru | formula = BaSO4 |IMAsymbol=Brt | molweight = | strunz = 7.AD.35 | dana = 28.03.01.01 | system = Orthorhombic | class = Dipyramidal (mmm)H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m) | symmetry = Pnma | unit cell = a = 8.884(2) Å,b = 5.457(3) Å,c = 7.157(2) Å; Z = 4 | color = Colorless, white, light shades of blue, yellow, grey, brown | habit = Tabular parallel to base, fibrous, nodular to massive | twinning = | cleavage = Perfect cleavage parallel to base and prism faces: {001} Perfect, {210} Perfect, {010} Imperfect | fracture = Irregular/uneven | tenacity = Brittle | mohs = 3–3.5 | luster = Vitreous, pearly | refractive = nα = 1.634–1.637nβ = 1.636–1.638nγ = 1.646–1.648 | opticalprop = biaxial positive | birefringence =0.012 | pleochroism = | streak = White | gravity = 4.3–5 | density = 4.48 g/cm3 | melt = | fusibility = 4, yellowish green barium flame | diagnostic = white color, high specific gravity, characteristic cleavage and crystals | solubility = low | diaphaneity = transparent to opaque | other = | references = }}

Baryte or barite ( ), also called barytes ( ), is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO4). Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), anglesite (lead sulfate), and anhydrite (calcium sulfate). Baryte and celestine form a solid solution .