TERRIUM — A mineralogy cabinet


Yeso Sericolita

Yeso is a mineral with formula CaSO₄·2H₂O, in the Sulfatos group. This specimen comes from Qinglong Mine, Dachan, Qinglong County, Guizhou, China and joined the Terrium collection in 2025.

Yeso Sericolita from Qinglong Mine, Dachan, Qinglong County, Guizhou, China — Terrium

Description

Half Moon. Curved fibrous aggregate, translucent and colourless, forming an arc. Under UV light, numerous scattered green specks appear (uranates that grew in the matrix).

About Yeso

The intense green fluorescence under UV light is due to uranyl (UO₂²⁺), which in Qinglong gypsum occurs in two ways: uranium present at the ionic level within the gypsum crystal structure; and microcrystals of secondary uranium minerals such as tyuyamunite, metazeunerite, boltwoodite and sklodowskite.

About the locality

At this locality, curved "Ram’s Horn Gypsum" has been found, a habit associated with very specific conditions of low temperature and slow precipitation. These are uncommon, very rare when they show such transparency, and exceptional when they contain uranyl traces responsible for their characteristic fluorescence.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0325
Composition
CaSO₄·2H₂O
Name
Yeso
Variety
Sericolita
Group
Sulfatos
Category
Lucimera
Associations
uranatos indeterminados
Mine
Qinglong Mine
District / Municipality
Dachan
Province
Qinglong County
Region
Guizhou
Country
China
Size (cm)
7 x 2 x 0.8
Weight
18.4 g
Acquired
2025
Etymology
From the Greek "gypsos", gypsum or plaster, for its use as a material for plastering and moulding.
Quality
Muy buena
Value trend
Estable

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