Wendel-Minerals | Item: 6293 - Celestine-Agrigento | Agrigento Province | Sicily

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Celestine on Sulphur

Agrigento | Agrigento Province | Sicily | Italy

Price

^550.00€
~ 550.00 €

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Article ID

6293

Size

8.7 x 5.1 x 3.1 cm

Size Description

Small Cabinet

Status

AVAILABLE

Image desc

Description

We are looking at a very attractive Celestine-on-Sulfur specimen from the classic Italian deposits at Agrigento in Sicily. Similar in looks to the English "Kanonenspat” (canon spar) Calcites", numerous, similarly shaped prismatic, highly lustrous individuals of Celestine up to 2.5 cm tall are perched in a very contrasting way on lemon-yellow Sulfur crystals. As far as I can tell with the unaided eye, all of the highly lustrous and well-terminated crystals are in perfect condition—definitely a feast for the eyes. And it gets better when you shine ultraviolet light on this specimen. Towards the end of the 19th century, around 75% of the world’s sulfur was produced in Sicily. Poor peasants provided cheap labor—including child labor— inhumane working conditions, and the monopoly position made the owners of the Sulfur mine rich. Ignoring their anti-social behavior and blinded by the huge profits, they did not make any investments for the future. This attitude took bitter revenge with the invention of the Frasch process in the US (a method to extract sulfur from underground deposits by taking advantage of the low melting point of sulfur) and the development of the Sulfur huge deposits in Louisiana and Texas. As early as 1914, Italy´s share of the Sulfur world production had fallen to 14%; in 1965 there were still 180 and in 1983 there were still 13 mines. Today there is no longer any sulfur mining in Sicily. So cherish these classic Italian specimens for as long as you can.