Colemanite with Celestine

specimen number:
2063167

location:
Billie Mine, Inyo Co., California, USA

description:
Lustrous partly gemmy colorless crystals of colemanite measuring to 2.0 cm in size covering the top of matrix. Light blue crystals of Celestine are present on the bottom side of the piece. In good condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark

The Billie Mine in Inyo County, California, sits within the Pliocene Furnace Creek Formation, a lacustrine environment where stratiform borate deposits formed. The ore body primarily contains colemanite, a hydrous calcium borate mineral known for producing attractive honey-colored crystals. Developed extensively for industrial borate extraction, the underground mine was operated intermittently by the American Borate Company until final production ceased in 2005, marking the end of active commercial borate mining in the Death Valley region.

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