Nesquehonite

specimen number:
2351036

location:
South Maricopa Mts., Maricopa Co., Arizona, USA

description:
Tiny micro crystals scattered across the top of the remains of a portion of a suguaro cactus. The specimen identification has been confirmed. Interesting material.

Nesquehonite is a rare hydrated magnesium carbonate that typically forms as a secondary alteration product in serpentinites, mining environments, and low-temperature aqueous settings. Its history dates back to its discovery in the late 19th century at its type locality in the Nesquehoning coal mine in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, where it was found growing on older mineral crusts. Because it is often unstable or prone to dehydration under ambient atmospheric conditions, mineral collectors prize pristine specimens from classic localities like Pennsylvania, Italian serpentinite fissures, and French mining districts, handling them carefully to preserve their delicate prismatic or needle-like crystal structures.

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