The accompanying figure is a generalized paragenetic sequence for the Pickhandle barite-silver veins. Rare calcite is paragenetically much later than barite and often quite dark due to the presence of included iron and manganese oxides. Interstices between barite fragments are most commonly filled with a mixture of iron and manganese oxides. Magnetite occurs locally, with partial to total alteration to hematite. A variety of manganese oxides are present, but they cannot be differentiated by simple microscopic analysis.
Sulfides are quite rare.
The most common are pyrite and galena with trace chalcopyrite and tennantite. The silver-bearing species are uncertain. Samples of high grade silver ore were examined and found to contain a high proportion of galena suggesting argentiferous galena. Alteration consists of minor to extensive silicification. Oxidized barite veins are thought to represent the supergene equivalent of the black matrix barite veins.