Calcite
Image: <bdi><a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:ComputerHotline" title="User:ComputerHotline">Thomas Bresson</a></bdi> (CC BY 4.0)
Mineral NameCalcite
Chemical FormulaCaCO3
Mohs Hardness3
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageperfect rhombohedral in three directions
Fractureconchoidal to uneven
Specific Gravity2.71
Colorswhite, colorless, grey, yellow, pink, green, blue, brown, black
Transparencytransparent to translucent to opaque
Type LocalityWorldwide (e.g., Mexico, Iceland, USA, Germany)
Mineral GroupCarbonates
Usesconstruction material, agricultural lime, acid neutralization, optical instruments, collector specimens
Associated Mineralsquartz, fluorite, barite, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, dolomite, aragonite
Raritycommon
Description
The image displays a light yellowish-white to cream-colored mineral forming a granular or botryoidal aggregate, composed of numerous small, rounded crystals. The texture appears somewhat dull and earthy.
Geological Context
Calcite is a ubiquitous mineral, forming in diverse geological environments from sedimentary rocks like limestone and chalk, to metamorphic rocks like marble, and as a common vein mineral in hydrothermal deposits. It is also the primary mineral in speleothems found in caves.
