Iceland spar - a sunstone with amazing properties

Peculiarities

Iceland spar is endowed with two properties that distinguish it from the general background of minerals:

1. Geometry of crystals. Creates a “matryoshka effect”: when you split a crystal, you get the same one, but smaller. So down to the tiniest bits.
2. Luminescence. Appears in colored stones. The crystal lattice of white (that is, pure) aggregates is perfect; they do not luminesce in UV rays.
3. Birefringence (polarization). The flat image under the crystal splits into two. The mechanism is as follows: when a beam of light crosses a prism, one wave travels normally, the other is deflected, projecting a “phantom” along with the original. The larger the crystal, the further apart the images will be. The refractive index changes if the crystal is cut diagonally and then the halves are glued together. When the stone is rotated 90°, the effect disappears.

Cordierite and tourmalines also create a similar polarization effect.

Iceland spar

There is no need to confuse Icelandic and feldspar. These are representatives of different classes. According to the international classification, Iceland spar stone belongs to carbonates, feldspar – to silicates. Other characteristics (density, strength, appearance) are also different.

Iceland spar. Properties, extraction and use of Iceland spar

It is clear as ice and named after the snow-covered regions. Iceland spar was first found in Iceland, after which it was named.

The chemical composition of the stone is a type of calcite. It is a natural form of calcium carbonate.

Accordingly, the formula of Iceland spar is: - CaCO3. It differs from ordinary calcite in the size of its crystals. They are big.

Standard calcium carbonate is a fine-grained, only slightly translucent mass.

Due to the “underdevelopment” of their crystals, some of the properties of calcite are not visible. Iceland spar is a tool for studying them. So, let's begin.

Properties of Iceland spar

The Iceland spar crystal has a rhombic shape and breaks straight along it. As a result, when you destroy the unit, you get the same one, but smaller.

This kind of nesting doll reaches microscopic rhombohedrons. They resemble beveled cubes.

The ideal geometry of spar crystals and their fragments makes the stone easy to process. For example, mosaics are assembled from mineral aggregates.

Birefringence is another characteristic that Iceland spar boasts of . The property is explained by the large difference in the refractive indices of the crystals.

When the rays hit them, they split into ordinary and extraordinary ones. The latter lie in a plane making an angle with the plane of incidence of light.

This is not typical. The normal part of the beam corresponds to the plane of incidence. As a result, if you put a spar crystal on the inscription, it will be visible on the opposite side, but will be forked.

The larger the mineral sample, the further apart the versions of the same word are. Don't believe me? Look at network photos.

Iceland spar changes its refractive index if you cut the crystal diagonally and glue the halves together.

Canada balsam is used as fastening. Its refractive index is 1.53, the same as one of the rays of calcite.

The refractive index of the second ray is higher, therefore, it undergoes total internal reflection. As a result, only one ray emerges from the crystal.

The result is a polarizer that is no worse than those used in Polaroids, although their manufacturers rely on quinine iodide sulfate.

Iceland spar, the polarization of which has become the topic of many scientific works, can be completely transparent, yellowish, pinkish, with a blue tint.

Any paint is evidence of foreign impurities. Thus, boron or chromium can give a blue tint.

Pink color often indicates an admixture of manganese, and yellow indicates the presence of iron and sulfur.

An Iceland spar prism can be from 5 millimeters to more than a meter in height.

If the aggregates are without impurities, their perfect crystal lattice excludes the possibility of luminescence in ultraviolet rays.

This property, or rather its absence, allows us to evaluate the quality of calcite crystals. Luminescent stones are considered second grade.

Iceland spar mining

Calcite is the most common rock-forming mineral on Earth. There is no shortage of stone.

Therefore, collectors are chasing, as they say, delights, for example, the largest and most transparent crystals.

In Russia there are such in the Evenki region. This is in the Krasnoyarsk region. Iceland spar crystals are found here , and they are absolutely pure and transparent.

In other deposits in Russia, the crystals are smaller, usually up to half a meter in length, or several tens of kilograms.

Searches can be organized in Crimea, where Mount Kastel is famous for its large spar rhombohedrons.

There are worthy examples in Yakutia, in the north of the Irkutsk region, in Tuva and in the subpolar Urals.

However, most of these deposits contain yellowish crystals that are slightly luminescent.

One of them is exhibited in the Mining Museum of St. Petersburg. The building stands on Vasilyevsky Island. The weight of the exhibit is 300 kilograms.

Although domestic samples are impressive, the most remarkable stones are found in the Republic of South Africa, Mexico and the USA.

One of the large deposits is located near New York. Mining requires special care.

As a rule, Iceland spar is several times more fragile than the surrounding rocks.

As they get closer to the crystals, quarry workers become jewelers, literally cutting the stones rather than chiseling them.

The slightest crack affects the properties of calcite, especially if the optical axis of Iceland spar .

The damage may not be visible to the naked eye, but the effects of the damage are noticeable.

Conclusion: - explosives are not used in calcite quarries. All mining is done manually.

This, of course, affects the price of the mineral. But, more on that later. In the meantime, let’s find out what products are worth paying money for.

Applications of Iceland spar

The mineral is not classified as an ornamental mineral. The craftsmen are not satisfied with the very fragility of the stone, its softness.

However, some samples are still cut. These are, so to speak, experimental, piecework works.

Thus, one of the crystals found in the vicinity of New York was cut in the shape of a square weighing almost a kilogram. This is 4620 carats.

Given such a scale, the stone is quite durable and fits perfectly into interiors, naturally as a souvenir and collection piece. Iceland spar is not used in jewelry.

The optical properties of spar are naturally useful in the optical industry, as well as in optoelectronic systems.

Monocrystals act as polarizers in them and help control light rays.

The magical properties of Iceland spar have also been used . Unlike ordinary calcite, which helps in mundane matters, the Icelandic variety of the stone activates the 8th chakra.

Anyone who is familiar with yoga knows that there are 7 chakras within the physical body.

The eighth is located on the edge of the astral body, above the head, called viracocha, consonant with the name of the Creator.

That is, the 8th chakra identifies the connection with Heaven and Gods. Accordingly, Iceland spar helps to foresee and promotes spiritual development.

If the mineral is crushed, it is suitable as a medicinal drug. At least that's what the medical treatises of Ancient China say.

Iceland spar powder, and calcite in general, was used there as an antipyretic and a remedy for diseases of the respiratory system.

If the above gave you a reason to buy Iceland spar , the next chapter is for you.

Iceland spar price

The price of the mineral depends on the size of the crystals and their purity. Thus, a completely transparent sample weighing 15 carats is estimated at almost 40,000 rubles.

A crystal of the same size, but with chips and cracks, is sold for a couple of thousand, or even less.

Price tags are also low for cut stones, that is, pieces separated from the original unit. A sample of 2 by 2 centimeters can be purchased for less than 100 rubles.

When purchasing Iceland spar, it is important to check its birefringence and hardness. Externally, the stone will pass for ordinary glass.

But the latter is as much as 3-4 points harder than calcite, which means it will scratch it. In addition, glass has different optical parameters.

It is convenient to check them, so to speak, live. If a mineral is purchased via the Internet, it is advisable to request a video with an examination of the selected crystal.

This is the case if you are communicating with the seller for the first time and do not know whether you should trust him.

Chemical and physical characteristics

Iceland spar is a transparent, coarse-crystalline variety of calcite.

Main characteristics:

• chemical formula – CaCO3;
• transparency – high;
• hardness on the Mohs scale – 3;
• luster – glass or pearlescent;
• shape – crystal prism from 0.5 to 100+ cm;
• when heated above 470 °C, it decomposes into carbon dioxide and lime;
• color – colorless, sometimes with blue, pink, green, yellow tints.

Colors are created by impurities. For pink it is manganese, blue shades are formed by boron or chromium, the sources of yellowishness are iron or sulfur. The shades are not flashy, but fawn, restrained. White crystals contain no impurities.

Chemical composition and physical properties

Iceland spar is a type of calcite. The stone has a unique property - birefringence. If the crystal is placed on a flat image, the image will split into two. But if you rotate the stone 90 degrees, this effect disappears. Tourmaline and cordierite have the same property. If you heat the crystal to 470 degrees, it will turn into ordinary lime and carbon dioxide.

Physical properties:

• perfect transparency;
• low hardness on the Mohs scale - only 3 points;
• crystals have the shape of prisms;
• The stone is fragile, so when it hits a hard surface it breaks into small fragments.

What is customary to make from Iceland spar?

JewelryAmulets

Where is the stone mined?

The origin of this type of calcite is hydrothermal. Iceland spar deposits are concentrated in limestones, basalts, and other rocks rich in calcium.

South Africa and the Russian Federation have large deposits.

In Russia, spar is mined in the North Caucasus and in the Asian part of the country: the Urals, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Yakutia, Tuva, and the Far East.

Collectible-quality specimens come from Mexico and the USA. Their extraction is carried out manually, without the use of heavy equipment or blasting.

How is Iceland spar used?

Fragility plus low Mohs hardness exclude the use of the mineral as jewelry. Few stone carvers undertake to make a figurine or other thing out of it. But it is a popular material for wall or other mosaics.

The main area of ​​use of the mineral is the optical industry . The high coefficient of double refraction of light, optical homogeneity, and sufficient transparency for ultraviolet and visible rays to the human eye have made crystals (for example, a prism for polarizing light) indispensable components of optical and optoelectronic systems. We are talking about polarizing microscopes, interferometers, photometers, and other devices for which radiation resistance is important.

Remarkable examples are sought after by collectors.

Iceland spar crystal

History of the stone

The mineral was discovered by mankind back in the days of the Vikings. Mentions of the mineral are found in the Scandinavian sagas: it was used to determine the position of the sun in the sky. Therefore, spar also received the name “sun stone”. In the fifteenth century, the gem was used in monasteries - religious paraphernalia was made from it.

The first colorless calcite was found not in Iceland, but on the island of Alderney (the northern border of the Channel Islands). A valuable specimen was found among the wreckage of an old Scandinavian boat that had been preserved for several centuries.

Be sure to check out: What is cinnabar and what properties does the stone have?

The properties of stone were studied in detail during the Renaissance. Scientists tried to find out the practical value of calcite in terms of its use in navigation. However, spar, as it turned out, does not have unique optical properties that make it possible to determine the position of the sun in the sky.

Price

The mineral is not classified as precious, but is often sold by carat. The cost is determined by the dimensions, integrity, and degree of purity of the crystal.

A transparent Icelandic 15-carat stone costs 38–42 thousand rubles. A similar one, but cracked or chipped, can be purchased 15–20 times cheaper. Fragments of a spar block will cost up to 100 rubles.

Even a microcrack invisible to the eye that touches the optical axis of a crystal nullifies its properties, reducing its value and price.

Aggregates without impurities and luminescence are more expensive than colored ones with this effect.

Magic properties

The number one magical property of Iceland spar is to make a person a psychic or clairvoyant:

• If there is no risk of cancer, carry an Iceland spar crystal with you.
• A safe but labor-intensive way is meditation on a stone. It requires willpower and time: daily sessions take at least five hours.
• Yogis use Icelandic stone to open the upper chakra.
• Like a talisman, it is capricious: if a person loses it or indifferently gives it away, the magical properties of the crystal and the achievements of the owner will be nullified. The gift will be useless for the new owner.

Icelandic spar talisman crystals can be inherited by blood relatives or another person as a sincere gift. Then the light nature of the mineral will continue to work.

Properties[ | ]

Historically, the name “Iceland spar” began to be used in mineralogy from the end of the 17th century, when crystals of this transparent mineral began to be brought from Iceland. When viewed through a clear Iceland spar crystal, a double image is visible. The crystallographic shape of Iceland spar crystals is most often a scalenohedron[1].

Iceland spar crystal

In 1669, the Danish scientist Rasmus Bartholin discovered and described the property of double refraction of a light beam by Iceland spar[2]. In 1690, the Dutch physicist Christian Huygens described the optical properties of Iceland spar as they are presented in modern physics textbooks.

Crystals have different colors, mostly pale (blue, pink, yellow, colorless or other) shade. The color depends on the admixtures of manganese, iron, magnesium, and less commonly barium, lead, strontium and bitumen.

Therapeutic effect

The crushed mineral is a component of traditional Chinese medicine. The healing capabilities of Iceland spar are multifaceted: universal and specialized in color.

Lithotherapists recommend crystals of any color to solve the following problems:

• lethargy, fatigue, decreased physical condition of the body, weakened immunity;
• heat, fever, high temperature;
• eye diseases (especially cataracts; pebbles are placed on the eyes for healing).

Product with a crystal
In some cases, the color of the mineral is decisive:

• blue crystals are suitable for treating the nasopharynx, throat, and respiratory system as a whole;
• reddish-pink help overcome gastrointestinal ailments;
• yellow or golden eliminate kidney disease;
• white, transparent ones neutralize pain, especially joint pain, headaches and dental pain.

However, there is a serious “but”. The mineral provokes accelerated “reproduction” of cells and proliferation of body tissues. Therefore, Iceland spar and other calcites are contraindicated, even dangerous, for people with tumors of any nature (evil or benign).

For the same reason, sprains cannot be treated with the mineral.

Magical and healing properties

In lithotherapy, crystals of all shades are used. It is believed that the type of effect on the body depends on the color of the stone.

1. Pink helps with intestinal problems.
2. Blue treats pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis.
3. Yellow is used for kidney diseases.
4. Transparency has an analgesic effect, especially for headaches and toothaches.
5. All types boost immunity and promote wound healing.
6. Minerals will help avoid mistakes and make representatives of the legal profession, driver and businessman more attentive.
7. As an amulet, it is suitable for changing health. It is possible to pass stones from the older generation to the younger. It is not advisable to lose or give them away.

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Spars from Iceland are stones for other minerals, non-conflict good neighbors.

The magical properties of the mineral when combined with other stones do not deteriorate. The main thing is that the combination looks aesthetically pleasing to the owner.

Iceland spar and horoscope

Astrologers have not been able to identify connections between the calcite family (including Iceland spar) and the planets or zodiac signs. However, the bright, positive energy of these minerals has been revealed.

Therefore, astrologers advise choosing Iceland spar according to the color related to the element of the sign:

• representatives of Water signs will suit bluish or greenish specimens;
• Fire people need yellow-gold or reddish crystals;
• Earthly - yellowish;
• For airy ones, you should choose white, grayish, bluish.

The only inhabitant of the Zodiac circle for whom Iceland spar is useless is Scorpio. People of this sign are often committed to black magic, which contradicts the light energy of the mineral.

(“+++” – fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – is strictly contraindicated).

How to identify a fake

Glass or plastic is often offered under the guise of Iceland spar. The origin of a sample can be determined by the following characteristics:

• Birefringence. The sample is placed on a page or other flat fragment with a pattern. Under a natural stone, the image will split in two, and if the stone is turned at a right angle, the effect disappears.
• Visual inspection. Natural stones of the available range are rarely without inclusions, microcracks or chips. Samples of similar purity are priced accordingly.
• Echo. When you tap a crystal on glass or metal, you will hear a sound - the same as from any natural stone. The glass pieces will ring, the plastic fakes will remain silent, or the echo will be dull.
• Weight. Natural stone is more massive than glass or plastic fakes of similar dimensions.
• Thermal conductivity. Natural crystals are cooler than glass, especially plastic. Counterfeits in your hands (or pressed to your face) will heat up quickly, while a natural mineral will heat up slowly and with difficulty.

Iceland spar is a transparent, coarse-crystalline variety of calcite.
The price can be a marker of origin: for natural crystals it is never too low.

Calcite. Iceland spar.

Calcite. Iceland spar.

by Cepheus on Sat 19 Jul 2014, 12:37

Calcite. Iceland spar.

Calcite

Calcite is the third most abundant mineral in the earth's crust after feldspar and quartz. It occurs in the form of crystals, but more often forms the bulk of the limestones, marbles and other carbonate rocks that cover vast areas of the surface of our planet. Composition Ca(CO)3 Other names Androdamas, reichite, lime spar, gun spar. Heavenly stone is the name of transparent calcite crystals among the Evenks. Paper spar or paper spar is lamellar calcite. Stone flower or stone rose are bizarre forms of calcite. Varieties Anthraconite is black calcite colored with bitumen inclusions. Iceland spar is a transparent variety of calcite. Medicinal properties Even in ancient Chinese medicine, calcite was used in the form of powder orally as an antipyretic and astringent for diseases of the heart and respiratory organs (bronchial tubes and lungs). Yellow or orange calcite has a beneficial effect on the kidneys, pancreas and spleen, and improves digestion. Since ancient times, to make wounds heal faster, they were sprinkled with powder from corals or fossilized mollusk shells (they are based on calcite). It is believed that calcite pendants, as well as rings worn on the little finger of the right hand, help with heart disease; Calcite beads set in silver help with colds. Magical properties As a talisman, calcite is an excellent assistant to businessmen, economists, financiers, lawyers and doctors. It makes them far-sighted and protects them from professional mistakes. Astrologers advise car enthusiasts and professional drivers to have calcite products, since it is believed that the stone can protect the owner from the difficulties of the road, in particular from accidents. Calcite crystals are used for meditation. A transparent variety of calcite (Iceland spar) is used to open the 8th chakra (“soul star”). Effect on the chakras Colorless and golden calcite are excellent for working with Sahasrara. Blue calcite works with Vishuddha, yellow calcite with Manipura, green calcite with Anahata, orange calcite with Svadhisthana. Energy Receptive Yin (absorbs energy). Yellow and orange calcite is projective Yang (releases energy, activates).

Elements Earth, Water, Ether (Space) Stone products Calcite In jewelry, calcite is used relatively rarely due to its low hardness and perfect cleavage. Used as a decorative material and as a collection mineral.