Calcite crystal color:Orange,Green,Yellow,Blue
Calcite crystal color:Orange,Green,Yellow,Blue
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Calcite is a common calcium carbonate mineral (chemical formula: CaCO₃) with various colors, mainly depending on the impurity elements, inclusions or other mineral paragenesis. The following are common types of calcite colors and their causes:
1. Color of pure calcite
Colorless or white calcite: Pure calcite is usually colorless and transparent (such as Iceland spar) or white and translucent. Iceland spar is used in optical instruments due to its high transparency and strong birefringence.
2. Color caused by impurity elements
Trace metal elements may be mixed into the crystal structure of calcite, resulting in color changes:
Yellow/orange/brown calcite: contains iron (Fe³⁺) or organic matter.
Pink/red calcite: contains manganese (Mn²⁺) or hematite inclusions.
Green/blue calcite: contains copper (Cu²⁺) or cobalt (Co²⁺).
Gray/black calcite: contains organic matter, graphite or sulfide (such as pyrite).
Purple calcite: trace magnesium (Mg) or radiation damage (rare).
3. Coloration caused by inclusions or paragenetic minerals
Red/brown spots: Contains hematite or goethite inclusions.
Turbid white/milky white: Contains fine bubbles, clay minerals or dolomite paragenesis.
Striped color: Paragenesis with other minerals (such as quartz, sulfides) to form stripes.
4. Fluorescence and phosphorescence
Some calcites will show pink, blue or green fluorescence under ultraviolet light, which may be related to rare earth elements (such as europium, lanthanum) or organic matter.
Typical calcite variants
Iceland spar: colorless and transparent, with significant birefringence.
Honey yellow calcite: Contains iron impurities and is honey yellow.
Cobalt calcite: Contains cobalt and is bright pink (rare).
Blue calcite: Contains copper or sulfides and is blue (mostly artificially treated).
Color and Identification
Calcite can be distinguished from other minerals by the following characteristics:
Hardness: 3 on the Mohs scale, easily scratched by a knife.
Cleavage: Rhombohedral cleavage is complete, breaking into rhombohedral fragments.
Reaction to Acid: Violently reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid, producing bubbles (CO₂).
Birefringence: Double images can be seen when looking through Iceland spar.
If you have a specific sample color or characteristic that needs to be analyzed, please provide more details for further discussion!
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Article Title:Calcite crystal color:Orange,Green,Yellow,Blue
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