Aragonite with Sulfur

specimen number:
2062950

location:
Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

description:
Classic specimen from Sicily with pseudo-hexagonal twinned colorless mostly opaque crystals of aragonite to 1.5 cm in size on matrix with massive sulfur. In good condition. Brightly fluorescent under longwave ultraviolet light. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

The geology of Agrigento, Sicily, features extensive evaporite deposits formed during the Miocene epoch, where microbial activity transformed sulfates into rich native deposits. Historically, this region was a global powerhouse for commercial mining, operating intense underground extraction from the nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century. Within large underground cavities called garbere, miners discovered world-class mineral specimens, producing iconic collector items featuring brilliant yellow crystals paired with matrix minerals like aragonite, celestine, and calcite. Today, these historical mines are closed, but their legacy lives on through highly prized museum and private mineral collections .

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.