Monday, February 20, 2017

Aragonite

What do pearls and Tums antacids have in common?  They are made from the same substance Aragonite is from - calcium carbonate.  Aragonite is another element not stable at low pressures and temps but does form due to "magnesium poisoning".  Solutions which are supersaturated w/ calcite can't precipitate if there is also a high concentration of magnesium thus allowing aragonite crystals to form.  Argonite can form in delicate crystals or in horizontal layers (like this example) and has a hardness of 4.

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