FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Stefan Koch]

Hi there,

I hope to get some help here for this Celestine crystal.

The attached label states "Mitchell, Indiana, USA".

In my opinion, the crystal is relatively characteristic due to its color zoning and its termination showing white sub-individuals.

After looking through all 1200 Celestine photos from the US on mindat, this would be the one, I think, looks most comparable to mine: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1021117.html

Can someone confirm one or the other locality for this crystal or has any other ideas?

Thank you in advance!
Stefan

[Bob Harman]

The example that you show, not being a particularly good or definitive crystalline example is most probably from the Lehigh Portland Cement Quarry in Mitchell, Lawrence County Indiana as noted on the label. Not being particularly definitive, it could also be from the Hanson's Crushed Stone Salem Quarry (Hoosier Crushed Stone Quarry) in Washington County Indiana. On further thought, it could also be from the Newport Michigan quarry, but not enough crystal specificity to overturn the label.
Look thru the "Celestines from Indiana" photos on Mindat and see my Salem Quarry example as reference about the middle of page 6 in the Indiana section of "A mineralogical trip through the states of the USA" on this website. BOB

[Stefan Koch]

Hello Bob,

thank you very much for your help.

Knowing your thoughts on this one now, I will keep it as labeled.

Best regards,
Stefan

[Bob Harman]

Stefan and others, Upon review, I left out the most important aspect of all this.

Indiana Celestines from both the quarries in Lawrence and Washington counties are always (!) found in geodes with associated drusy quartz. These Celestines are either floaters or attached to underlying quartz within the geode. The Michigan Celestines, wherever their origin, are never found in geodes or associated with drusy quartz.

This is a situation where the mineral's association really helps make the location identity definite. Bob