Celestine

specimen number:
2063762

location:
Maybee Quarry, Monroe Co., Michigan, USA

description:
A light blue to colorless glassy partly gemmy pink crystal of Celestine measuring 3.0 cm across, 1.7 cm in height, in a cluster with crystallized calcite. Complete all around and in great condition. From the 1990s. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

The Maybee Quarry, situated in Monroe County, Michigan, is globally celebrated for producing some of the finest celestine specimens in North America. Quarrying operations in the region began in the mid-19th century to extract Silurian-age Sylvania Sandstone and Raisin River Dolomite for lime production, construction aggregate, and glass manufacture. Geologically, low-temperature hydrothermal solutions circulating through vugs and fractures within the marine dolomite deposited striking sky-blue to blue-gray celestine crystals, often associated with calcite, sulfur, and strontianite. Mineral collectors hold Maybee specimens in high esteem due to their intense blue coloration, sharp prismatic habit, and impressive translucency. Though active quarrying and modern safety restrictions have curtailed open access for amateur collectors, specimens recovered during peak mining eras remain prized historic highlights in public museum exhibits and private collections worldwide.

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