Editing Celestine (mineral)

{{Short description|Sulfate mineral}}
{{Redirect|Celestite|Wolves in the Throne Room album|Celestite (album)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox mineral
| name        = Celestine
| category    = [[Sulfate minerals]]
| boxwidth    = 
| boxbgcolor  = 
| image       = Celestine - Sakoany deposit, Katsepy, Mitsinjo, Boeny, Madagascar.jpg
| imagesize   = 270px
| caption     = Clear grey-blue celestine crystals
| formula     = [[Strontium|Sr]][[Sulfur|S]][[Oxygen|O]]{{sub|4}} sometimes contains minor calcium and/or barium
| IMAsymbol=Clt<ref name=Warr-2021>{{cite journal |last=Warr |first=L.N. |year=2021 |title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols |journal=Mineralogical Magazine |volume=85 |issue=3 |pages=291–320 |doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W |s2cid=235729616 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
| molweight   = 
| strunz      = 7.AD.35
| system      = [[Orthorhombic]]
| class       = Dipyramidal (mmm) <br/>[[H-M symbol]]: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
| symmetry    = ''Pnma''
| unit cell   = a = 8.359&nbsp;[[angstrom|Å]], <br/>b = 5.352&nbsp;Å, <br/>c = 6.866&nbsp;Å; Z&nbsp;=&nbsp;4
| color       = White, pink, pale green, pale brown, black, pale blue, reddish, greyish; colourless or lightly tinted in transmitted light
| habit       = Tabular to pyramidal crystals, also fibrous, lamellar, earthy, massive granular
| twinning    = 
| cleavage    = Perfect on {001}, good on {210}, poor on {010}
| fracture    = Uneven
| tenacity    = Brittle
| mohs        = 3.0–3.5
| luster      = Vitreous, pearly on cleavages
| polish      = 
| refractive  = n<sub>α</sub> = 1.619–1.622 n<sub>β</sub> = 1.622–1.624 n<sub>γ</sub> = 1.630–1.632
| opticalprop = Biaxial (+)
| 2V          = Measured: 50°–51°
| birefringence = δ = 0.011
| dispersion  = Moderate r < v
| pleochroism = Weak
| fluorescence= yellow, white blue (both short and long UV)
| absorption  =
| streak      = white
| gravity     = 3.95–3.97
| density     = 
| melt        = 
| fusibility  = 
| diagnostic  = 
| solubility  = 
| diaphaneity = Transparent to translucent
| other       = 
| references  = <ref>{{cite web |title=Celestine |department=Lexikon |website=Mineralien Atlas – Fossilien Atlas |via=mineralienatlas.de |lang=en, de |url=https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?lang=en&language=english&mineral=Celestine |access-date=2022-09-25}}</ref><ref name=HBM>{{cite book |section=Celestine |title=Handbook of Mineralogy |series=RRUFF™ Database Project |publisher=[[University of Arizona]] Department of Geology |section-url=http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/celestine.pdf}}</ref><ref name=Mindat>{{cite web |title=Celestine |website=Mindat.org |url=http://www.mindat.org/min-927.html}}</ref><ref name=Webmin>{{cite web |title=Celestine |website=Webmineral |series=data |url=http://webmineral.com/data/Celestine.shtml}}</ref>
}}

'''Celestine''' (the [[International Mineralogical Association|IMA]]-accepted name)<ref name=IMA>{{cite web |url=https://www.ima-mineralogy.org/Minlist.htm |title=List of Minerals |date=21 March 2011}}</ref> or '''celestite'''<ref name=Warr-2021/><ref name=Nickel-Nichols-2004/>{{efn|'''''Celestine''''' is the approved name for this mineral by the [[International Mineralogical Association|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.<ref name=Nickel-Nichols-2004>{{cite book |author1=Nickel, Ernie |author2=Nichols, Monte |chapter=Mineral list / Materials data |year=2004 |page=26 |title=Mineral Names, Redefinitions, & Discreditations Passed by the CNMMN of the IMA |url=http://www.geo.vu.nl/users/ima-cnmmn/MINERALlist.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530134400/http://www.geo.vu.nl/users/ima-cnmmn/MINERALlist.pdf |archive-date=May 30, 2008}}</ref><ref name=Warr-2021/>}} is a [[mineral]] consisting of [[strontium sulfate]] ([[Strontium|Sr]][[Sulfur|S]][[Oxygen|O]]{{sub|4}}). The mineral is named for its occasional delicate [[blue color]]. Celestine and the [[carbonate]] mineral [[strontianite]] are the principal sources of the [[chemical element|element]] [[strontium]], commonly used in [[fireworks]] and in various [[alloy|metal alloys]].

==Etymology==
Celestine derives its name from the [[Latin]] word ''caelestis'' meaning celestial<ref>{{cite dictionary |title=Celestine |dictionary=Collins English Dictionary |via=collinsdictionary.com |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/celestine}}</ref> which in turn is derived from the Latin word ''caelum'' meaning sky, air, weather, atmosphere and heaven.<ref>{{cite dictionary |title=Celestial |date=24 April 2024 |dictionary=[[Merriam-Webster]] Dictionary |via=merriam-webster.com |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celestial}}</ref>

==Occurrence==
Celestine occurs as [[crystal]]s, 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&nbsp;1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=Beneath our feet |department=Discover [[Yate]]'s History |website=[[Yate]] Heritage Centre 
|via=yateheritage.co.uk |url=http://www.yateheritage.co.uk/history-of-yate/beneath-our-feet.htm}}</ref>

The skeletons of the [[protozoan]] ''[[Acantharea]]'' are made of celestine, unlike those of other [[radiolarian]]s which are made of [[silicon dioxide|silica]].

In carbonate marine sediments, burial dissolution is a recognized mechanism of celestine precipitation.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Baker |first1= Paul A. |last2= Bloomer |first2= Sherman H. |year= 1988 |title=The origin of celestite in deep-sea carbonate sediments | journal = Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta | volume= 52 | issue =2 |pages=335–339 |bibcode=1988GeCoA..52..335B | doi = 10.1016/0016-7037(88)90088-9 }}</ref> It is sometimes used as a gemstone.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Roger |last1=Dedeyne |first2=Ivo |last2=Quintens |year=2007 |title=Tables of Gemstone Identification |publisher=Glirico |isbn= 978-90-78768-01-2 |page=174}} {{isbn|9078768010}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
Celestine Poland.jpg|Celestine from the Machow Mine, Poland
Celestine SrSO4.jpg|Celestine mineral on display at [[Yale]]'s [[Peabody Museum of Natural History|Peabody Museum]]
</gallery>

==Geodes==
Celestine crystals are found in some geodes. The world's largest known [[geode]], a celestine geode {{convert|35|ft|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 (Ohio)|Crystal Cave]], with the crystals which once composed the floor of the geode removed. The geode has celestine crystals as wide as {{convert|18|in|cm}} across, estimated to weigh up to {{convert|300|lb|kg}} each.

Celestine geodes are understood to form by replacement of [[alabaster]] nodules consisting of the [[calcium sulfate]]s 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.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Anenburg |first1=Michael |last2=Bialik |first2=Or |last3=Vapnik |first3=Yevgeny |last4=Chapman |first4=Hazel |last5=Antler |first5=Gilad |last6=Katzir |first6=Yaron |last7=Bickle |first7=Mike |year=2014 |title=The origin of celestine-quartz-calcite geodes associated with a basaltic dyke, Makhtesh Ramon, Israel |journal=Geological Magazine |volume=151 |issue=5 |pages=798–815 |doi=10.1017/S0016756813000800 |bibcode=2014GeoM..151..798A |s2cid=129529427 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carlson |first1=Ernest |year=1987 |title=Celestite replacements of evaporites in the Salina Group |journal=Sedimentary Geology |volume=54 |issue=1–2 |pages=93–112 |doi=10.1016/0037-0738(87)90005-4 |bibcode=1987SedG...54...93C }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kile |first1=Daniel |last2=Dayvault |first2=Richard |last3=Hood |first3=William |last4=Hatch |first4=H. Steven |year=2015 |title=Celestine-bearing geodes from Wayne and Emery counties, southeastern Utah: Genesis and mineralogy |journal=Rocks & Minerals |volume=90 |issue=4 |pages=314–337 |doi=10.1080/00357529.2015.1034489 |bibcode=2015RoMin..90..314K |s2cid=130452012 }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
Celestitemadagascar.jpg|Celestine geode section
Crystal Cave Ohio.JPG|Inside the Crystal Cave geode in Ohio
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of minerals]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|25em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Celestine}} 
*{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Celestine (mineral) |display=Celestine |volume=5 |short=x}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Strontium minerals]]
[[Category:Sulfate minerals]]
[[Category:Orthorhombic minerals]]
[[Category:Minerals in space group 62]]
[[Category:Luminescent minerals]]
[[Category:Evaporite]]
[[Category:Gemstones]]
[[Category:Baryte group]]
[[Category:Minerals described in 1798]]