Barylite
BaBe₂Si₂O₇

     Barylite is an extremely rare mineral at MSH, having only a few specimens recovered. It is a late stage mineral in the paragenesis.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is usually colourless to white.
Luster is vitreous.
Diaphaneity is transparent.
Crystal System is orthorhombic; Pn2₁a.
Crystal Habits include very thin elongated, bladed single crystals
   and as divergent groups of crystals to 5mm.
Cleavage {001} and {100} are perfect.
Fracture has not been observed.
Hardness is 7.
Specific Gravity is approximately 4.0 g/cm³.
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include aegirine, analcime, barite, biotite,
   burbankite, calcite, donnayite, eudialyte, ewaldite, harmotome,
   hilairite, microcline, nepheline and zircon.
Distinguishing Features: Crystal habit.
Origin: Named in 1876 from the Greek barys, weight, referring
   to its specific gravity.

CLASSIFICATION:

REFERENCES:
MinRec 21:298 (1990), Dana 8:1133 (1997)

DISTRIBUTION AND RARITY AT MONT SAINT-HILAIRE:

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