Calcium sulfateCalcium sulfate (or calcium sulphate) is an inorganicsalt with the chemical formulaCaSO4. It occurs in several hydrated forms; the anhydrous state (known as anhydrite) is a white crystalline solid often found in evaporite deposits. Its dihydrate form is the mineral gypsum, which may be dehydrated to produce bassanite, the hemihydrate state.
MineralIn geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form. The geological definition of mineral normally excludes compounds that occur only in living organisms. However, some minerals are often biogenic (such as calcite) or chemically organic compounds (such as mellite).
Celestine (mineral)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 elementstrontium, commonly used in fireworks and in various metal alloys.
Cleavage (crystal)Cleavage, in mineralogy and materials science, is the tendency of crystalline materials to split along definite crystallographic structural planes. These planes of relative weakness are a result of the regular locations of atoms and ions in the crystal, which create smooth repeating surfaces that are visible both in the microscope and to the naked eye. If bonds in certain directions are weaker than others, the crystal will tend to split along the weakly bonded planes.
BaryteBaryte or barite ( ), also called barytes ( ), is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO4). Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), anglesite (lead sulfate), and anhydrite (calcium sulfate). Baryte and celestine form a solid solution(Ba,Sr)SO4.
Chemical formulaA chemical formula is any of several kinds of notation for expressing the composition and structure of a chemical compound. Chemical formulas use element symbols for the atoms of each chemical element in a compound. There are several conventional types of chemical formula that present different levels of detail.
CrystalA crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macroscopic single crystals are usually identifiable by their geometrical shape, consisting of flat faces with specific, characteristic orientations. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography.
Isomorphism (crystallography)In chemistry, isomorphism has meanings both at the level of crystallography and at a molecular level. In crystallography, crystals are isomorphous if they have identical symmetry and if the atomic positions can be described with a set of parameters (unit cell dimensions and fractional coordinates) whose numerical values differ only slightly. Molecules are isomorphous if they have similar shapes.
StrontiumStrontium is a chemical element; it has symbol Sr and atomic number 38. An alkaline earth metal, it is a soft silver-white yellowish metallic element that is highly chemically reactive. The metal forms a dark oxide layer when it is exposed to air. Strontium has physical and chemical properties similar to those of its two vertical neighbors in the periodic table, calcium and barium.
SymmetryMathematical invariance under transformations Symmetry (left) and asymmetry (right) A spherical symmetry group with octahedral symmetry. The yellow region shows the fundamental domain. A fractal-like shape that has reflectional symmetry, rotational symmetry and self-similarity, three forms of symmetry. This shape is obtained by a finite subdivision rule.
BariumSr↑Ba↓Racaesium ← barium → lanthanum
Mohs scaleThe Mohs scale ( ) of mineral hardness is a qualitativeordinal scale, from 1 to 10, characterizing scratch resistance of minerals through the ability of harder material to scratch softer material.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.