Gypsum

specimen number:
2013614

location:
Lehigh Quarry, Mitchell, Indiana, USA

description:

Good examples of the species from the state of Indiana have never been common. This is an excellent grouping of lustrous gemmy colorless crystals of gypsum. In super condition. These rarely if ever come available on the market in this quality.

The Lehigh Cement Quarry, located in Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana, is a major industrial operation centered on the extraction of high-calcium limestone. Geologically, the quarry harvests material from the Mississippian-aged Saint Louis and Ste. Genevieve Limestones, which are part of the broader Blue River Group. Within these sedimentary layers, localized hydrothermal activity and groundwater movement have created vugs and small pockets that host secondary mineralization. The most prized mineral from this locality is celestine, which typically forms as blocky, tabular crystals that are frequently colorless and exceptionally gemmy, often exhibiting high clarity and sharp faces. Ocasionally the locality also produces fine gypsum crystals, the variety known as selenite. Historically, the quarry has been a pillar of the Mitchell economy since the early 20th century, with the facility undergoing a massive technological overhaul and expansion in the early 2020s to increase production capacity. While the site is primarily a source of industrial raw materials for cement manufacturing, it continues to be recognized by the mineralogical community for these distinct, high-quality strontium sulfate crystals found within the limestone matrix.

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