Celestine (mineral)

• Celestine
• Schätzit
• Schützit
• Strontium earth
• Strontium sulfate
• Celestino

Celestite ( Celestine English ), dated as Celestine, Celestine or rarer than Schützit or Schätzit known, is a common mineral from the mineral class of " sulfates ( and Related ) ". It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system with the composition Sr [ SO4 ], that is chemically a strontium sulfate.

Celestine most developed prismatic or tabular crystals of a few centimeters, but also crystal sizes of up to one meter were found.

With barium (Ba [ SO4 ] ) Celestine forms a mixed batch with freely exchangeable strontium or barium ions.

Special Features

In pure form, Celestine is colorless and transparent. Multiples of refraction due to polycrystalline training or twinning lets him but also appear white. By lattice defects arise in Celestine color centers, which give the crystal its characteristic bluish color. Often these centers are additionally stabilized by the presence of K ions. Heating to about 200 ° C. " heals" and these lattice defects, the mineral loses its color. An X-ray irradiation generates new and more lattice defects and the color or returns can be enhanced. Through foreign admixtures of sulfur Celestine may be yellowish in color.

Before the blowpipe Celestine melts to a white pearl, which he characteristically colors the flame carmine.

Etymology and history

The mineral was known already in the 18th century, but even in 1781 was held for barite and barite. Only one of Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1797 conducted analysis revealed that it was a strontium- containing material that he described as strontium earth. A year later, Abraham Gottlob Werner coined the up today valid name for the mineral celestite, after the Latin word for coelestis sky blue, as it is found in this same characteristic color very often. In later works Werners there is also the spelling of Celestine and other mineralogical records, among others, the spelling of Celestine. However, by law has been in professional circles the spelling Celestine.

As a type locality is considered Bell 's Mill at Bellwood in Blair County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

Classification

In the now outdated but still in use 8th edition of the mineral classification by Strunz the Celestine " Sulfate ( selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, tungstates ) " and then to the department belonged to the mineral class of " water clear Sulfate without foreign anions ," where he formed together with anglesite, barite and Hashemit the independent " Barytgruppe ".

The 9th edition used since 2001 and valid by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA ) of the Strunz'schen Mineral classification assigns the Celestine also in the class of " sulfates ( selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates and tungstates ) " and then in the Department of " Sulfate ( selenates, etc. ) without additional anions, without H2O" one. This division, however, is further divided according to the size of the cations involved, so that the mineral is "With only large cations " to find according to its composition in the subdivision where it together with anglesite, barite and Olsacherit the still existing " Barytgruppe " with the system number. 7.AD.35 forms.

The classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the celestite in the class of " sulfates, chromates and molybdates " (including selenates, tellurates, Selenite, Tellurite, sulfites ) and there in the department of " sulfates ". Here he is with barite and anglesite in the " Barytgruppe " with the system no. Find 3.28.01 within the sub-division of " water clear acids and sulfates (A2 ) XO4 ".

Varieties

As Barytocoelestin or simply a barium barium Celestine Celestine - variety with the formula (Sr, Ba) [ SO4 ] is referred to, which can also be regarded as a solid solution between celestite and barite.

Under the 1800 dominated by Karsten name Schützit various training versions of celestite were summarized, which more accurately than tight, flaky, fibrous or strahliger Schützit were designated depending on the crystal or aggregate form.

Education and Locations

Celestine was formed about 65 million years in geological age of the Tertiary often in crevices and cavities of sedimentary rocks (notably limestone, marl ) or evaporites and usually associated with anhydrite, gypsum, halite and / or sulfur. In hollows of carbonate rocks, the mineral often occurs together with calcite, dolomite, fluorite and strontianite and also with anhydrite and gypsum. Rarely it is found in hydrothermal veins and in bubble chambers volcanic rocks accompanied by analcime, natrolite, Hydroxyapophyllit and celadonite.

As a frequent mineral formation celestite is found in many localities, where the world so far (as of 2013) over 1000 localities are known.

Special recognition is due to exceptional Coelestinfunde obtained inter alia, the sulfur deposits near Tarnobrzeg in Poland and Caltanissetta in Italy, where prismatic crystals of up to 10 centimeters long came to light. Well-developed, transparent Coelestinkristalle of bright blue color and up to 15 centimeters in size were found in the deposit " Sakoany " (Region Boeny ) on Madagascar and up to 30 centimeters large crystals were found in the Mexican state of Coahuila in the municipality of Múzquiz. 1897 was the German Gustav Heineman winery owner in the Put-in- Bay on Bass Iceland in Ottawa County (Ohio, USA) at about 10 meters depth, a large limestone cave, with up to 18 inches ( = 45.7 cm) lined large Coelestinkristallen is. The most massive Celestine, striking blue stalactites of up to one meter in length, however, were discovered in the Argentine province of Neuquen.

In Germany was the mineral among others in the Clara mine in Baden- Württemberg, in Wirmsthal and Otten Houses Plots near Schweinfurt in Bavaria, the soldiers Busch at Gembeck in Hesse, in several places in Göttingen and Bad Loud Mountain in Lower Saxony, in the Munsterland and Sauerland region of North -Westphalia, to be found on Ettringer Bellerberg, and at Imsbach in Rhineland -Palatinate, in several places in Saxony- Anhalt, in the pit goodness of God in Bruchertseifen in Rhineland -Palatinate and in Göschwitz in Thuringia. The only large, but now exhausted celestite deposit were at Giershagen in the eastern Sauerland, where it was discovered in 1900 about 10,000 tons of pure celestite of special quality, as well as Gembeck in Hesse Waldeck- Frankenberg, which was further degraded the 1920s.

In Austria, Celestine found at many places in Carinthia ( Friesach, hut mountain, Gail Valley and Carnic Alps ), Salzburg ( Abtenau, Murwinkel, Leogang ), Styria, Tyrol ( Inn Valley ) and Upper Austria ( Kirchdorf, Steyr -Land).

In Switzerland, the mineral among others joined at several points on fund in the cantons of Aargau, Bern, Fribourg, Solothurn, Vaud and Valais.

Other localities lie under in Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctic, Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Greece, Greenland, India, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Canada, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Libya, Malawi, Morocco, Mongolia, Namibia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, the United Kingdom ( UK), many states across the U.S. and in Vietnam.

Crystal structure

Celestine crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma ( Raumgruppen-Nr. 62) with the lattice parameters a = 8.36 Å; b = 5.35 Å and c = 6.85 Å and four formula units per unit cell.

Use

As a raw material

Celestine is next to strontianite an important ore for the extraction of strontium, even if it is technically used only to a limited extent in pure form. As an alloying element in the steel, it serves among other things, for the removal of sulfur and phosphorus (see also # strontium use ).

End of the 19th century Celestine was next to strontianite for the extraction of strontium hydroxide, which was used for residual sugaring molasses, promoted. A former Celestine - mining site located in Jena. Celestine is also necessary for the production of dyes, colored glass and electric batteries.

In contrast to strontium sulfate Celestine, the compounds of strontium nitrate, strontium oxide and strontium are more important. Strontium nitrate stained with fireworks and flares, the bright red flame, strontium oxide is used for X-ray radiation reduction in glass of cathode ray tubes and strontium as a sedative.

Currently, the annual world production of strontium ores ( celestite and strontianite ) is about 140,000 tons.

In living organisms

In radiolarians ( Radiolaria ), the spherical silica skeleton can next be made of Stontiumsulfat.

As a gemstone

Despite its appealing color and often water-clear, vitreous luster crystals Celestine is due to its low Mohs hardness of 3 to 3.5, its high splitting tendency and its sensitivity to acids ( already the body sweat attacks the stone surface to ) for commercial use as a gemstone unwatchable. For collectors it is nevertheless occasionally ground into various facets forms or processed into drum stones and Handschmeichlern.