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Pure Celestine is colorless, but impurities give this mineral a wide range of colors. The most common color is light blue, which is often caused by irradiation of gold. This light blue tint may be present in a whole specimen, or may only be confined to one area.
Celestine is isomorphous with Barite, and may partially replace it.
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Chemical Formula |
SrSO4 |
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Composition |
Strontium sulfate, sometimes with small amounts of barium |
| Variable Formula |
(Sr,Ba)SO4 |
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Color |
Blue, white, colorless, orange, orange-brown, light brown, yellow, greenish-blue, gray. Crystals may also be slightly multicolored, with light blue on one end and colorless on the other. |
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Streak |
White |
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Hardness |
3 - 3.5 |
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Crystal System |
Orthorhombic |
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Crystal Forms
and Aggregates |
Occurs as prismatic and tabular crystals, and as thin tabular plates. May also occur as thick, pseudohexagonal trillings, as well as dense aggregates of such crystals. Also occurs massive, radiating, grainy, nodular, and botryoidal. May also be as fibrous masses, as dense clusters of tabular crystals, as fragile, elongated crystal clusters, as fillings in geodes, and as cleavage fragments. Crystals are sometimes striated, and occassionally contain phantom growths. |
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Transparency |
Transparent to translucent |
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Specific Gravity |
3.9 - 4.0 |
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Luster |
Vitreous; pearly on cleavage surfaces |
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Cleavage |
1,1 - basal ; 2,1 - prismatic ; 3,1 - pinacoidal |
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Fracture |
Uneven |
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Tenacity |
Brittle |
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Other ID Marks |
1) Occasionally fluorescent in shortwave ultraviolet light.
2) Sometimes thermoluminescent. |
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In Group |
Sulfates; Anhydrous Sulfates |
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Striking Features |
Crystal forms, color zoning in some specimens, and hardness. |
| Environment |
In sedimentary rock such as limestone. Very rarely in metal ore veins. |
| Rock Type |
Sedimentary |
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Popularity (1-4)
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1 |
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Prevalence (1-3)
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1 |
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Demand (1-3) |
1 |
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Celestine is the most common mineral containing the element strontium, and is its primary ore. It is a popular mineral among collectors.
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Fine Celestine specimens have been obtained from many localities worldwide. Blue and white crystals are found in Italy associated with bright yellow Sulfur
crystals in the famous Sicilian mines of Cattolico, Agrigento, Floristella, and Caltanissetta. Fine Celestine also associated with Sulfur comes from Poland at the Machow Mine, Tarnobrzeg. There are several excellent Spanish localities for this mineral, especially Puente Tablas, in Andalusia; Tora, in Catalonia; and Arneva, in Alicante. Fine crystals once came from Yate in Gloucester, England. Beineu-Kyr, in Turkmenistan, is an uncommon yet desirable source of this mineral.
Enormous blue Celestine crystals, some in geodes, were found in Madagascar, in Sakoany, Mahajanga Province. Red Celestine which at one time was thought to be Barite comes from the Hammam-Zriba Mine, Tunisia. Other African localities are Jabal Akhdar, Libya; and the Wessels Mine, Hotazel, South Africa.
In Canada, Celestine comes from the Lafarge Quarry, Dundas; and from the Deforest Quarry, Inglewood, both in Ontario. In Mexico, Celestine is found in the Mojina Mine, Ahumada, Chihuahua; and in the Tule Mine, Melchor Múzquiz, Coahuila.
The best specimens of this mineral come from the U.S. The type locality and earliest occurrence is Bell's Mill, Bellwood, Blair Co., Pennsylvania, where it was found in fibrous veins. Another important Pennsylvania locality is the Meckley's Quarry, Mandata, Northumberland Co. A historic occurrence is Lockport, Niagara Co., New York, where this mineral was discovered while digging the Erie Canal. There are several other Celestine localities in central New York, such as Chittenango Falls, in Madison Co; and Walworth, Wayne Co.
The state of Ohio contains perhaps the greatest deposits. Especially of note is South Bass Island in Lake Erie, where giant pale blue crystals were obtained in the hamlet of Put-in-Bay. Also in Ohio are Lime City, Portage, and the Pugh Quarry, all in Wood Co.; and Clay Center, Ottawa Co., where the Celestine occurs with pale brown Calcite and Fluorite.
Michigan contains well-known Celestine deposits in the Scofield Quarry (near Maybee), and Newport Quarry, Monore Co. Other U.S. occurences are the Annabel Lee mine, Hardin Co., Illinois; Bull Creek, Austin, Travis Co., Texas; and Death Valley, Inyo Co., California, where it occurs as large, colorless crystals associated with Colemanite in geodes.
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Calcite, Barite, Fluorite, Gypsum, Dolomite, Galena, Sphalerite, Strontianite, Pyrite, Colemanite, Halite, Sulfur (Limestone)
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Barite - Very difficult to distinguish without locality information, although Barite is heavier.
Gypsum - Softer (2), sectile, lighter in weight (2.3 - 2.4).
Calcite - Perfect rhombohedral cleavage, lighter in weight (2.7), effervesces in acid.
Feldspars - Harder (6), lighter in weight.
Fluorite - Forms only in isometric crystals, lighter in weight (3.0 - 3.3), has perfect cubic cleavage.
Colemanite - Harder (4 - 4½), lighter in weight (2.4).
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