Strontianite

specimen number:
2133173

location:
Minerva Mine #1, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA

description:
A floater cluster of snow white crystallized strontianite. In good condition all around.

The Minerva No. 1 Mine, located in Hardin County, Illinois, was one of the major producers in the Illinois Kentucky Fluorspar District, with mining activity beginning in the mid 20th century under the operation of the Ozark Mahoning Company. The mine consisted of extensive underground workings that followed fluorite rich veins through limestone host rock, supplying material for the steel and chemical industries during its peak years. In addition to its economic importance, the mine is well known among collectors for its mineral specimens, including occurrences of strontianite. The strontianite from Minerva No. 1 typically occurs as white to colorless acicular crystals and radiating aggregates found in cavities, often associated with fluorite, calcite, and other carbonate minerals.

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