Celestine (mineral)

"Celestite" redirects here. For Wolves in the Throne Room album, see Celestite (album).

Celestine (the IMA-accepted name)^[6] or celestite^[1][7][a] is a mineral consisting of strontium sulfate (SrSO₄). The mineral is named for its occasional delicate blue color. Celestine and the carbonate mineral strontianite are the principal sources of the element strontium, commonly used in fireworks and in various metal alloys.

Celestine
Clear grey-blue celestine crystals
General
Category	Sulfate minerals
Formula	SrSO4 sometimes contains minor calcium and/or barium
IMA symbol	Clt[1]
Strunz classification	7.AD.35
Crystal system	Orthorhombic
Crystal class	Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space group	Pnma
Unit cell	a = 8.359 Å, b = 5.352 Å, c = 6.866 Å; Z = 4
Identification
Color	White, pink, pale green, pale brown, black, pale blue, reddish, greyish; colourless or lightly tinted in transmitted light
Crystal habit	Tabular to pyramidal crystals, also fibrous, lamellar, earthy, massive granular
Cleavage	Perfect on {001}, good on {210}, poor on {010}
Fracture	Uneven
Tenacity	Brittle
Mohs scale hardness	3.0–3.5
Luster	Vitreous, pearly on cleavages
Streak	white
Diaphaneity	Transparent to translucent
Specific gravity	3.95–3.97
Optical properties	Biaxial (+)
Refractive index	nα = 1.619–1.622 nβ = 1.622–1.624 nγ = 1.630–1.632
Birefringence	δ = 0.011
Pleochroism	Weak
2V angle	Measured: 50°–51°
Dispersion	Moderate r < v
Ultraviolet fluorescence	yellow, white blue (both short and long UV)
References	[2][3][4][5]

Etymology

Celestine derives its name from the Latin word caelestis meaning celestial^[8] which in turn is derived from the Latin word caelum meaning sky, air, weather, atmosphere and heaven.^[9]

Occurrence

Celestine occurs as crystals, and also in compact massive and fibrous forms. It is mostly found in sedimentary rocks, often associated with the minerals gypsum, anhydrite, and halite. On occasion in some localities, it may also be found with sulfur inclusions.

The mineral is found worldwide, usually in small quantities. Pale blue crystal specimens are found in Madagascar. White and orange variants also occurred at Yate, Bristol, UK, where it was extracted for commercial purposes until April 1991.^[10]

The skeletons of the protozoan Acantharea are made of celestine, unlike those of other radiolarians which are made of silica.

In carbonate marine sediments, burial dissolution is a recognized mechanism of celestine precipitation.^[11] It is sometimes used as a gemstone.^[12]

• 
  Celestine from the Machow Mine, Poland
• 
  Celestine mineral on display at Yale's Peabody Museum

Geodes

Celestine crystals are found in some geodes. The world's largest known geode, a celestine geode 35 feet (11 m) in diameter at its widest point, is located near the village of Put-in-Bay, Ohio, on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. The geode has been converted into a viewing cave, Crystal Cave, with the crystals which once composed the floor of the geode removed. The geode has celestine crystals as wide as 18 inches (46 cm) across, estimated to weigh up to 300 pounds (140 kg) each.

Celestine geodes are understood to form by replacement of alabaster nodules consisting of the calcium sulfates gypsum or anhydrite. Calcium sulfate is sparingly soluble, but strontium sulfate is mostly insoluble. Strontium-bearing solutions that come into contact with calcium sulfate nodules dissolve the calcium away, leaving a cavity. The strontium is immediately precipitated as celestine, with the crystals growing into the newly formed cavity.^[13][14][15]

• 
  Celestine geode section
• 
  Inside the Crystal Cave geode in Ohio

See also

• List of minerals

Footnotes

1. Celestine is the approved name for this mineral by the IMA Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names (CNMMN). Although celestite finds frequent usage in some mineralogical texts, the name has been discredited as a valid mineral name by that organization.^[7][1]