By Nate Blume
A Mineral Haiku
Lustrous crystals shine
Shimmering in stunning blue
They are beautiful
Facts on File:
Formula: SrSO4
(Strontium Sulfate)
Specific gravity: 3.96 – 3.98 g/cm3
Crystal system:
Orthorhombic
Group: Barite
group
Color:
Colorless to shades of blue, white, red, green and brown
Luster: Vitreous,
pearly
Streak: white
Mohs hardness:
scale: 3-3.5
Fracture:
Irregular/uneven
 |
| Figure 1. Blue crystals of celestine in a geode. This specimen measures 1.875” x 0.875” (23 mm x 19 mm). Image © by Nate Bloom, A Nate Bloom specimen. |
Notes: Celestine was discovered in 1791. The name celestine is based on the word
“celestial” and refers to the beautiful blue colors of some celestine minerals
that look like the sky. I got this specimen from an old mineral collection from
the 1960s. The blue coloring is caused
by irradiation of impurities of gold in the crystal. Celestine is often found
in sedimentary rocks like limestone and hydrothermal veins.
Author Bio:
Nate Blume is 10 years old and attend
5th grade at the Rocky Mountain Classical Academy in Colorado
Springs. He is a member of the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups and the Colorado Springs
Mineralogical Society.
Colorado Springs, CO. The Pikes Peak Pebble Pups
have a unit in Teller County that meets in Lake George. The other unit meets in
Colorado Springs
 |
Figure 2. Author Nate Blume is active in the study of
Earth
sciences in the Pikes Peak region.
|
References:
Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks and Minerals by Chris Pellant
Firefly Guide to Minerals Rocks & Fossils by A.C. Bishop, A.R. Woolley and
W.R. Hamilton
web sources: http//www.mineral.net
http//www.mindat.org
