The Average Structural Density of Barite Crystals of Different Habit Types

Abstract

Eight different habit types of barite crystals which could be classifiedinto 4 essentially different groups were determined by morphologicalanalysis: Eb group - barite crystals elongated in the [010] direction; Ea group - barite crystals elongated in the [100] direction; Tc group - barite crystals tabular on the basal pinacoid {001}; Ec group - barite crystals elongated in the [001] direction.By determination and comparison of the average structural densi -ties of different habit types of barite crystals, it was possible to establishthe spans of their values from 276.1 to 495.8, and overlapping ofvalues for Eb group with Ea group and Tc group with Ec group. Thesequence of habit types, with regard to the decreasing average structuraldensity, i.e. the priority sequence of developing of barite crystaltypes, was determined: Eb group - Ea group - Tc group - Ec group