Mineral
Aragonite
Carbonate Minerals
Aragonite is a carbonate mineral and one of the three most common naturally occurring crystal forms of calcium carbonate, the others being calcite and vaterite. It is formed by biological and physical processes, including precipitation from marine and freshwater environments. Its crystal lattice differs from that of calcite, giving an orthorhombic crystal system with acicular crystals, and repeated twinning produces pseudo-hexagonal forms. In this atlas it is the mineral species behind aragonite gemstones and ornamental stones, kept apart from calcite because the two share a formula but not a structure.
Aragonite is a carbonate mineral and one of the three most common naturally occurring crystal forms of calcium carbonate, the others being calcite and vaterite. It is formed by biological and physical processes, including precipitation from marine and freshwater environments. Its crystal lattice differs from that of calcite, giving an orthorhombic crystal system with acicular crystals, and repeated twinning produces pseudo-hexagonal forms. In this atlas it is the mineral species behind aragonite gemstones and ornamental stones, kept apart from calcite because the two share a formula but not a structure.
Facts
Chemical Formula Chemical Formula Hardness (Mohs)Commonly cited range is 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale; 3.75, the midpoint, is used here. Hardness (Mohs)Commonly cited range is 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale; 3.75, the midpoint, is used here. Classification
Strunz ClassCarbonates and Nitrates 1 Strunz ClassCarbonates and Nitrates 1 Crystal System Crystal System UseSculpture and Ornamental 2 UseSculpture and Ornamental 2 Connections
Caused By
Source Aragonite (Wikipedia)
Source EBSCO Research Starters: Hydrothermal solutions and mineralization
Source Aragonite (Wikipedia)
Crystallizes In System
In Discipline
In the Other Atlases
Mineral Species Of
Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.
Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.
Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.
Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.
Sources
1. Aragonite (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAragonite, lead paragraph
Aragonite is a carbonate mineral and one of the three most common naturally occurring crystal forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), the others being calcite and vaterite.
Aragonite, article text
an orthorhombic crystal system with acicular crystal
View the Source 2. minerals.net: Aragonite
minerals.netUses
is sometimes carved into ornamental objects
Color field
Colorless, white, brown, gray, yellow, red, pink, purple, orange, blue, green
Luster field
Vitreous, dull
View the Source Aragonite (Wikipedia)
Caused By: Biomineralization, Occurrence
Aragonite forms naturally in almost all mollusk shells, and as the calcareous endoskeleton of warm- and cold-water corals (Scleractinia).
Caused By: Metamorphism, Occurrence
Aragonite is the high pressure polymorph of calcium carbonate. As such, it occurs in high pressure metamorphic rocks such as those formed at subduction zones.
View the SourceEBSCO Research Starters: Hydrothermal solutions and mineralization
EBSCO Research StartersCaused By: Hydrothermal Mineral Deposition, Hydrothermal deposit types and gangue mineralsQuote, Caused By: Hydrothermal Mineral Deposition, Hydrothermal deposit types and gangue minerals
Gangue minerals include barite, fluorite, chalcedony, opal, calcite, and aragonite.
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