Dragon Scale Barite - Linwood Mine, Buffalo, Iowa

Contributed by: Chris Clemens
minID: N2V-ACG
Date: May 21st, 2026
Locality: Linwood Mine, Buffalo, Scott County, Iowa, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 17.3 x 11.6 x 19 cm
Weight: 2273 g

Description:
Located on the bank of the Mississippi River, in Buffalo, Scott County, Iowa, the Linwood Mine is one of the largest underground limestone mines currently in operation in the United States. The Linwood Mine is known to produce beautiful, museum quality calcite and barite crystals. Less known is that the Linwood Mine also produces beautiful and interesting fluorescent specimens. Between 2013 and 2014, a unique find of barite was made at the Linwood Mine, producing flat tabular crystals having an etched texture with a growth pattern resembling reptilian scales, leading to the description "dragon scale barite". These specimens show a similar bright white to blue/white fluorescence under all UV wavelengths with a strong pale blue/green afterglow following shortwave and a very sharp bright green afterglow following exposure to longwave UV. The following series of photographs show an excellent example of Dragon Scale barite from this find. This specimen consists of a single, flat, etched barite crystal (dragon scale) sitting in a larger bed of small platy barite crystals.

Originally posted by Chris Clemens on Nature's Rainbows in 2020.