Sulfates (Inventory)

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Contents 1 Barite 2 References 3 Celestite 4 References 5 Epsomite/Mirabilite 6 See also 7 References 8 Epsomite/Mirabilite, Sulfates

Barite

The Barite field of the Sulfates section should list stations that exhibit some form of barite.

Barite (also known as barium sulfate) is a fragile, semi-hard mineral with perfect prismatic cleavage. Barite is not a metal, but is very heavy. It is white or bluegray in color and, if found, it usually indicates nearby ore deposits. It can be identified by its weight and color.

References

• Burgess, Harry. Canyons & Caves; Issue No. 1; Spring 1996. More on Lechuguillan Minerals: http://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/upload/c&c1.pdf

Sulfates (Inventory) is a part of the cave inventory project.

Celestite

The Celestite field of the Sulfates section should be used to record stations where celestite is found.

Celestite (also known as strontium sulfate) is colorless to sky-blue. It occurs in crusts and linings on the walls and is a precipitate and indicator of sulfuric-acid dissolution. The size of individual crystals can vary from 1 cm to 80 cm (about 2.5 ft).

References

• Burgess, Harry. Canyons & Caves; Issue No. 1; Spring 1996. More on Lechuguillan Minerals: http://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/upload/c&c1.pdf

Sulfates (Inventory) is a part of the cave inventory project.

Epsomite/Mirabilite

The Epsomite/Mirabilite field should be used to list stations where the sulfate minerals epsomite or mirabilite are observed.

Epsomite is soft and white or clear. It has a bitter taste though it is not appropriate to perform this test in the field. It may appear as needles, stalactites, stalagmites and other dripstone like formations. Mirabilite is clear and usually looks like ice. It has a slightly bitter or salty taste. Both are salts of different metals. Epsomite and mirabilite formations can change seasonally as they are influenced by humidity. They can also form over other speleothems. These formations are easily confused with similar gypsum formations such as chandeliers.

See also

• Gypsum Chandelier

References

• Palmer, Arthur N. (2007) Cave Geology CAVE BOOKS, Dayton, OH p 293 ISBN-13: 978-0-939748-66-2, ISBN-10: 0-939748-66-5

Epsomite/Mirabilite, Sulfates

Epsomite or Mirabilite on a calcite soda straw	Epsomite
Large epsomite stalagmite with mummified bats	Small epsomite stalagmite

Sulfates (Inventory) is a part of the cave inventory project.

Sulfates (Inventory) is a part of the cave inventory project.