Pickeringite

specimen number:
2133205

location:
Elba, Tuscany, Italy

description:
Colorless crystallized pickeringite very rich throughout this matrix. This is a good example for the species. In good condition.

Pickeringite is a hydrated magnesium aluminum sulfate mineral that typically forms as an efflorescence in arid environments or as a secondary alteration product in oxidizing sulfide deposits. It was first described in 1844 and named after the American linguist and philologist John Pickering. Geologically, it is often found in the weathered zones of pyritiferous rocks, coal seams, and volcanic fumaroles, where sulfuric acid generated by the oxidation of pyrite reacts with magnesium-rich and aluminum-rich minerals. It usually occurs as delicate, white to yellowish, acicular or fibrous masses that can resemble tufts of cotton or silk. Because it is highly soluble in water, it is most stable in protected areas like cave walls or abandoned mine workings where it is shielded from rain. While it is not an industrial mineral with specific mining dates of operation, it is frequently encountered in historic alum and sulfur mines across the globe, including notable occurrences in the Atacama Desert of Chile and various volcanic regions in Italy and the United States.

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