CaCO₃
Calcite
Iceland spar splits a line into two, the textbook of double refraction, and a knife still scratches it.
- Formula
- CaCO₃
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Crystal system
- trigonal
- Colour
- white, yellow, many-coloured
- Element
- earth
- Chakra (tradition)
- sacral
- Zodiac
- Cancer
- Month
- —
- Where the earth keeps it
- Iceland, Mexico, United States
What it actually is
Calcite is CaCO₃ before it is a story. The lattice is trigonal, Mohs 3, and the eye meets white, yellow, many-coloured.
The better pieces still come out of the ground in Iceland, Mexico, United States. Iceland spar splits a line into two, the textbook of double refraction, and a knife still scratches it.
What the old tradition whispers
The parlour tradition ties Calcite to earth and to the sacral centre. The old site stood it near: Cancer.
How not to turn it to ash
Softer than a steel knife. No ultrasonic bath, no acid, no sudden heat. Dust wants a dry cloth.