Calcite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Archaeodontosaurus" title="User:Archaeodontosaurus">Didier Descouens</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameCalcite
Chemical FormulaCaCO₃
Mohs Hardness3
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak ColorWhite
CleavagePerfect rhombohedral in three directions
FractureConchoidal to uneven
Specific Gravity2.71
Colorscolorless, white, yellow, brown, pink
TransparencyTransparent to translucent
Type LocalityBruniquel, Tarn-et-Garonne, Midi-Pyrénées, France
Mineral GroupCarbonates
Usesconstruction material, optical instruments, soil treatment, antacids, ornamental stone, collector specimens
Associated Mineralsquartz, fluorite, barite, sulfides, zeolites
Raritycommon
Description
The image displays several pale yellowish-brown, transparent to translucent calcite crystals, with one prominent hexagonal-prismatic crystal, embedded within a dark, earthy matrix. Smaller, less defined crystals are also visible on the surrounding rock.
Geological Context
Calcite is a ubiquitous mineral found in diverse geological settings, including sedimentary rocks like limestone and marble, hydrothermal veins, and as a secondary mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks, often forming cave formations.
