Strontianite (Strontium Carbonate)
From Ohio History Central
The name strontianite comes from a famous location for the mineral, Strontian, Scotland. This ore is one of the few sources for the element strontium. Its uses include the refining of sugar and the production of fireworks.
Facts
| Chemical Composition: | Strontium Carbonate (SrCO3) |
| Mineral Class: | Carbonates |
| Crystallization: | Orthorhombic |
| Crystal Habit: | Commonly in acicular or fibrous aggregates ; may be in granular or powdery masses. |
| Specific Gravity: | 3.8 |
| Hardness: | 3 1/2 - 4 |
| Color: | White, pale yellow, colorless |
| Transparency: | Transparent to translucent |
| Luster: | Vitreous; greasy on cleaved surfaces |
| Streak: | White |
| Occurence: | <img width="195" height="172" title="Map of strontiantite occurence" alt="Map of strontiantite occurence" src="images/naturalHistory/minerals/strontiantitemap.gif" /> |
Strontianite is considered to be a fairly rare mineral. Still, important locations occur in North America and Europe. This mineral has been reported from 6 counties in Ohio. Strontianite occurs as small white crystals or powdery masses in cavities or vugs in Silurian dolomites in the Findlay Arch mineral district. In northwestern Ohio strontianite is found in cavities of dolostones where the fibrous crystals commonly are associated with celestite.