Hydrothermal chimney composed mostly of barite
![A cracked piece of rocky crist from the seafloor that reveals the differences between the outside of the crust and its inside](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/media/images/barite-hydrothermal-chimney.jpg?itok=BNMBWr-d)
Detailed Description
Partially weathered hydrothermal chimney, composed mostly of barite (BaSO4). The white material is the outer weathered rind, where the disseminated sulfide minerals have been leached out by oxidation, leaving an orange iron oxide stain. The sample was collected from the Pacific Ocean seafloor near the Escanaba Trough, off the coast of northern California.
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.