Calcite with Celestine

specimen number:
8311278

location:
White Rock Quarry, Clay Center, Ohio, USA

description:
Classic combination specimen from this famous locality with pale yellow rhombohedral crystals of translucent calcite lustrous in measuring to 2.7 cm in size on a bed of pale blue bladed Celestine crystals. Typical of these some cleaving is present of the Celestine crystals, this still in really good condition overall. Complete all around as seen in the video.

The White Rock Quarry, located in Clay Center, Ottawa County, Ohio, is an iconic locality celebrated for its world-class specimens of fluorite and celestine. Geologically, the quarry exposes the Silurian-aged Lockport Dolomite, where mineral-rich hydrothermal fluids deposited crystals within large vugs and solution cavities. The site is most famous for its distinctive brown, cubic fluorite crystals, which are often found associated with attractive white to pale blue bladed celestine. Historically, the operation began as a source of high-purity limestone and dolomite for the lime and construction industries in the late 19th century. The quarry was operated for many years by the Kelley Island Lime and Transport Company and later by the Martin Marietta Corporation. While it has been a prolific producer of mineral specimens for over a century, access for collectors has become highly restricted in recent decades due to safety protocols and active industrial mining. Despite this, the fluorite from Clay Center remains a definitive regional classic, easily recognized by its dark, petroleum-included cores and sharp geometric form.

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