Celestina
Celestina is a mineral with formula SrSO₄, in the Sulfatos group. This specimen comes from La Segarra, Torà, Lleida, Catalunya, España.
Description
Celestine with sky-blue, translucent, well-developed prismatic crystals to 2 cm, lining cavities in Upper Miocene marls. The crystals stand out against globular calcite coatings, creating strong contrast. The specimen is massive, with open cavities and an aesthetic internal architecture.
About Celestina
Celestine is the strontium analogue of baryte (barium sulfate) and anglesite (lead sulfate); therefore, celestine is a strontium sulfate. Highly prized for its transparent blue crystals, it typically occurs in sedimentary cavities. It is dense and surprisingly heavy, yet very fragile with a Mohs hardness of just 3. Most strontium comes from its ore.
About the locality
In Torà, the geodes formed in Upper Miocene marls, with celestine crystals of prismatic habit, often associated with calcite. During the 1990s and 2000s numerous specimens were recovered owing to the accessibility of road cuts, but eventually the Town Council fenced off the area and prohibited any extractive work, citing safety and conservation reasons.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0185
- Composition
- SrSO₄
- Name
- Celestina
- Group
- Sulfatos
- Category
- Cavella
- Matrix
- Marga miocena
- Associations
- Calcita
- Mine
- La Segarra
- District / Municipality
- Torà
- Province
- Lleida
- Region
- Catalunya
- Country
- España
- Size (cm)
- 11.5 x 11.5 x 7
- Weight
- 491 g
- Etymology
- From Latin "caelestis", referring to its characteristic sky-blue colour.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Aragonito (Blanco (Bulboso)) — España
- Barita — España
- Barita — Italia
- Barita (Amarilla) — Italia
- Calcita (Dorada) — España
- Celestina — Madagascar
- Jacinto de Compostela — España
- Magnetita — España