6.4" Globular Yellow Calcite Formations on Basalt - Italy

This 6.4" wide piece of tephritic lava ("basalt") features globular (botryoidal) formations of yellow calcite. It comes out of the Campomorto Quarry located in the Viterbo Province of Italy. While botryoidal calcite can be found in many locations around the world, this site truly produces some of the most magnificent examples, as is the case with this specimen.

It comes with an acrylic display stand.

Calcite, CaCO3, is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate. The other polymorphs are the minerals aragonite and vaterite. Calcite crystals are trigonal-rhombohedral, though actual calcite rhombohedra are rare as natural crystals. However, they show a remarkable variety of habits including acute to obtuse rhombohedra, tabular forms, and prisms. Calcite exhibits several twinning types adding to the variety of observed forms. It may occur as fibrous, granular, lamellar, or compact. Cleavage is usually in three directions parallel to the rhombohedron form.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Calcite
LOCATION
Campomorto Quarry, Montalto di Castro, Viterbo Province, Italy
SIZE
Largest calcite: 1.2" wide, Entire specimen: 6.4 x 5.5"
CATEGORY
ITEM
#248573