File:Gypsum (Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico) 2 (49206439538).jpg

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Large gypsum crystals from Mexico. (public display, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, Colorado, USA)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5500 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

The sulfate minerals all have one or more sulfate anions (SO4 -2).

Gypsum is a moderately common hydrous calcium sulfate mineral (CaSO4·2H2O). Gypsum has a nonmetallic luster, is usually clearish to whitish, is soft (H≡2), and rather fragile/brittle. Gypsum has 3 cleavage planes, one of which is well developed (“one good cleavage), and the other two are not well developed (“two poor cleavages”). Broken gypsum specimens are frequently thin plates - the consequence of the one good cleavage plane. Unbroken crystals show monoclinic symmetry.

Gypsum has economic value as a mineral. It is the starting ingredient for making plaster and wallboard.


From exhibit signage:

The silver mines at Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico yield some of the world's finest and largest crystals of gypsum. The crystals form deep underground in cavities or fissures and are unearthed during mining operations. These specimens were preserved and donated by the Fresnillo Mining Company.


Locality: deep subsurface cavity at silver mine, Naica, Chihuahua State, northern Mexico


Photo gallery of gypsum:

<a href="http://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=1784" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=1784</a>
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Source Gypsum (Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico) 2
Author James St. John

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This image was originally posted to Flickr by James St. John at https://flickr.com/photos/47445767@N05/49206439538 (archive). It was reviewed on 12 December 2019 by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

12 December 2019

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current13:13, 12 December 2019Thumbnail for version as of 13:13, 12 December 20193,317 × 2,096 (3.8 MB)Ser Amantio di Nicolao (talk | contribs)Transferred from Flickr via #flickr2commons

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