This wonderful selenite crystal - carved out to make a lamp - was part of my birthday present from Jo last month.
Selenite, satin spar, desert rose, and gypsum flower are four varieties of gypsum which show obvious crystalline structure. The four "crystalline" varieties of gypsum are sometimes grouped together and called selenite. All varieties of gypsum, including selenite and alabaster, are composed of calcium sulphate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O.
All varieties of gypsum are very soft minerals (hardness: 2 on Mohs Scale). This is the most important identifying characteristic of gypsum, as any variety of gypsum can be easily scratched with a fingernail. Because gypsum has natural insulating properties it feels warm to the touch.
What a wonderful gift! Thanks for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, C. J.
ReplyDeleteIt is earthy and rugged, yet ethereal and other-worldly, all at the same time.
When I first read "Selenite", I thought of "cryptonite"...
;^)
Way to go, Super-man!
Well I never!
ReplyDeletebeautiful crystal
ReplyDeleteJo has great taste - this is beautiful; something I'd love to sitting with in a dark room :)
ReplyDeleteIs this anything like fluorspar? It just looks similar to a crystal I have...
ReplyDeleteFluorspar is calcium fluoride, Jinksy, but I agree its complex cubic crystals can look very similar.
ReplyDeleteI went into a gem shop in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, just browsing the mall, and saw some beautiful stone like yours! It is amazing what come out of the earth! My birthstone is an amethyst and I could not believe how large some finds are! Taller than me!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful. I was in Utah and discovered honey calcite and bought a huge piece, but the tail of my sons dog knocked it off and broke it...
ReplyDeletefantastic birthday gift! it is very unusual and pretty. have a great weekend!!
ReplyDelete