celestine
Also known as celestite
strontium sulfate mineral
Key facts
- Category
- Sulfate minerals
- Formula
- Sr S O 4 sometimes contains minor calcium and/or barium
- Ima symbol
- Clt
- Strunz classification
- 7.AD.35
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal class
- Dipyramidal (mmm) , H-M symbol : (2/m 2/m 2/m)
- Space group
- Pnma
- Unit cell
- a = 8.359 Å , b = 5.352 Å, c = 6.866 Å; Z = 4
- Color
- White, pink, pale green, pale brown, black, pale blue, reddish, greyish; colourless or lightly tinted in transmitted light
- Crystal habit
- Tabular to pyramidal crystals, also fibrous, lamellar, earthy, massive granular
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}, good on {210}, poor on {010}
- Fracture
Article
Celestine (the IMA-accepted name) or celestite is a mineral consisting of strontium sulfate (SrSO4). The mineral is named after its occasional delicate blue color. Celestine and the carbonate mineral strontianite are the principal sources of the element strontium, commonly used in fireworks and in various metal alloys.
Etymology