Celestine

specimen number:
2292326

location:
Sakoany, Katsepy, Mitsinjo, Boeny, Madagascar

description:
An open geode cavity lined with attractive blue lustrous gemmy crystals of Celestine. Classic material for this area. In good condition.

The Sakoany deposit, located on the northwestern coast of Madagascar, is situated within sandy marl layers that were deposited during the Lower Paleocene Epoch, approximately 55 million years ago. The formation of celestine within these sedimentary layers is attributed to post-sedimentary diagenetic processes. As low-temperature, strontium-rich groundwater circulated through the sediments, it interacted with decomposing sulfur-rich organic remains. This chemical reaction prompted the precipitation of strontium sulfate as celestine, which crystallized inside cavities to form nodules and geodes. The deposit was discovered in the late 1960s when local herders noticed pale blue crystals on the surface. Since systematic artisanal mining began in 1967, Sakoany has operated as a major global source of celestine specimens, with miners digging vertical shafts and lateral tunnels to recover geodes lined with characteristic sky-blue crystals.

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