how do calcite crystals form?
that can be a very complicated or very simple question…I am not sure which you are asking for.
Simple answer:
We all know you can only put so much sugar in water.. before it simply will not dissolve any more..and you probably also know you can dissolve more sugar in hot water than you can cold water.
Likewise you can actually grow sugar crystals by letting really hot water, saturated with sugar cool down.. as the water cools, it’s ability to hold sugar in solution decreases and some of the sugar must come out of solution and ultimately you form sugar crystals. How big or how small they are depend upon how much sugar is available, and how slowly the crystals are allowed to grow.
Calcite is no different…except instead of happening commonly in your tea or coffee like sugar , calcite crystals can be formed in any one of hundreds of different places (in caves, pore spaces of rocks, by small organisms which use it or some variety of it as shell material etc. etc.). But all of these use more or less the same concept. Calcite in solution (dissolved) is forced out by some change in the saturation point of the liquid with respect to calcium. Sometimes it is a change in temperature, sometimes it is a increase in one or more catalysts, sometime it is just the presence of a seed crystal, or just a change in the concentration of one or more compounds in the solution. There are situations where other existing minerals may be changed to calcite, but even these require some amount of “solution” though probably not on a scale that we think of commonly.
The more complicated answer involves a slow block my block building of a crystal from it’s component compounds.
Imagine having a thousand square leggos..the square leggo could be though of as a calcite molecule. As you attach molecules (leggos) togather in a regular repetitive way you are building a “crystal” (the external expression of the combined leggos). Now the number of ways leggos can be attatched to one another limit the final shape or crystalline form of the resulting combined leggos, just like the way in which two calcite molecules can attatch to one another limits the final crystalline form of calcite.
The final shape or form of calcite (or any mineral) very often varies, or has several possibilities because only rarely are minerals and their crystals “pure”, and the impurities (though sometimes very pretty) change or interrupt the regular lattice that would form under ideal conditions
Pagopa Calcite crystal from China
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AWESOME BIG COMPLETE CALCITE CRYSTAL ON SHINY BLACK MATRIX IN GEOD #154 $30.99 |
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Calcite Crystal Fine Mini Shullsburg, Wisconsin $35.00 |
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Galena Calcite Crystals Rare Locality TN Clay Center OH $45.00 |
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NATURAL YELLOW CALCITE QUARTZ CRYSTAL SPHERE,size40mm $0.21 |
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White Calcite Crystals On Matrix $14.44 |
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White Calcite Crystals On Matrix $14.44 |
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Bright & Gemmy Calcite Crystal Cluster On Matrix !!! $15.29 |
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Yellow Calcite 1/4lb Lg Tumbled Stones Crystal Healing Reiki Chakras Balancing $14.25 |
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Clear White Calcite 1/4lb Tumbled Stones Crystal Healing Reiki Chakras Balancing $14.25 |
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105mm NATURAL YELLOW CALCITE Rainbow QUARTZ CRYSTAL SPHERE BALL $84.99 |
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5 RED CALCITE ROUGH MINERAL STONE CRYSTAL HEALING CHUNK SPECIMEN REIKI $0.99 |
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Beautiful Calcite Crystal !!! Great Piece Like A UFO $15.29 |
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1 1/2 lbs. Septarian, Calcite crystals, Lake Michigan $0.99 |
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1 lbs. Calcite & Pyrite Crystals, Old Chaney Quarry, Bellevue, Michigan $0.99 |
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Gemmy Quartz Crystal Laying On Silky Manganoan Calcite $32.29 |
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Calcite Yellow Disc Round Crystal Choker Necklace $3.99 |
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2 Small CITRINE HONEY CALCITE SPECIMEN NATURAL STONE CRYSTAL HEALING LEARNING $0.99 |
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305g Purple Apatite/Calcite Crystals with Muscovite $280.00 |
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6.5″ Buttery Yellow GOLDEN CALCITE-Gem Crystal-Elmwood $250.00 |
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FIERO CALCITE NATURAL 1.2″ HEALING CRYSTAL – MEXICO $4.00 |
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COLORFUL CALCITE Rough Rock Crystals Tumblers – Metaphysical – 5 Lbs – FREE SHIP $29.95 |
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S VANADINITE CALCITE ARIZONA MINERALS CRYSTALS GEMS-MIN $39.95 |
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4.1″ Ruby Red CINNABAR Twinned Crystals+Calcite-China $195.00 |
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NATURAL CLEAR calcite CRYSTAL SPHERE Healing 75mm+stand $0.02 |
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2 NATURAL golden CALCITE CRYSTAL SPHERE BALL AAA+++ $0.20 |
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3.45″ Golden CALCITE CRYSTALS Pink TAN DOLOMITE Indiana $11.99 |
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3 1/4″ CALCITE w/ APOPHYLLITE Crystals, Mexico $24.99 |
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4.2″ White POKER CHIP CALCITE Crystals-Massachusetts $49.95 |
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Iceland Spar clear calcite crystal Rhombic 1/3 pound $9.99 |
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Red/copper Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 3 pound lots $24.99 |
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Aqua Calcite crystal all natural mine rough 1/3 pound $9.99 |
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Orange Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 3 pound lots $24.99 |
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Golden citrine Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 3 pound lots $24.99 |
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5.5″ Crystal-Filled CALCITE GEODE-Both Halves-Morocco $75.00 |
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6″Lovely Bright Pink COBALTOAN CALCITE Crystals-Morocco $175.00 |
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Blue Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 3 pound lots $24.99 |
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AWESOME INTERACTIVE CALCITE CRYSTAL $49.99 |
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Blue Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 1/3 pound lots $9.99 |
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Prehnite & Calcite Crystals, New Jersey $4.99 |
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Orange Brown Prehnite & Calcite Crystals, New Jersey $4.99 |
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VIBRIANT ROSESITE CRYSTALS, CALCITE CRYSTALS – OJUELA $9.99 |
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Golden citrine Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 1/3 pound lots $9.99 |
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7.0″ RedOrange Phantom Butterfly MARIPOSA CALCITE Sharp Crystals-Mexico-for sale $125.00 |
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10 Meditation Stones New Jasper Crystal Sodalite Calcite Agate Serpentine 8.1oz $11.95 |
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7.2″ PurpleYellow FLUORITE Cubic Crystals to3.8″ w/Calcite-Minerva#1 IL-for sale $275.00 |
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Mangano CALCITE crystals on Galena $745.00 |
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Orange Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 1/3 pound lots $9.99 |
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Red/copper Calcite crystal small pieces all natural 1/3 pound lots $9.99 |
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Fine golden Barite crystal on Calcite, Elk Creek, SD $59.99 |
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Radiating Calcite Crystal Specimen-cagx9ie0453 $18.00 |
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Radiating Calcite Crystal Specimen-cagx9ie0455 $18.00 |
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Radiating Calcite Crystal Specimen-cagx9ie0452 $18.00 |
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Radiating Calcite Crystal Specimen-cagx9ie0451 $18.00 |
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2 Medium CITRINE HONEY CALCITE SPECIMEN NATURAL STONE CRYSTAL HEALING LEARNING $2.95 |
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Stibnite Crystal with Calcite-sth14ie0101 $171.00 |
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Stibnite Crystal with Calcite-sth14ie0102 $135.00 |
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Stibnite Crystal with Calcite-sth14ie0103 $171.00 |
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4.8″ FOSSIL CLAMSHELL Filled With Golden CALCITE Crystals-Florida-for sale $110.00 |
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2.9LB Pink Calcite Crystal Cluster-cah99id1315 $135.00 |
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Champagne Calcite Crystal Specimen-cagx3ie0109 $89.10 |
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Purple Flourite, calcite and lavender quartz Crystals geodes $450.00 |
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YELLOW CALCITE STONE CRYSTAL HEALING REIKI GEM # 9 ROUGH 3 1/2″ in by 2 1/4 $9.95 |
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ALABANDITE CALCITE CRYSTAL COLLECTORS REIKI GEMS PERU MINERAL SPECIMEN E59 $9.99 |
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Coni Calcite Crystal Mineral Specimen #C14 $4.99 |
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Coni Calcite Crystal Mineral Specimen #C13 $3.99 |
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Red Calcite Crystal Mineral Specimen #RC16 $7.99 |
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Red Calcite Crystal Mineral Specimen #RC14 $7.99 |
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Red Calcite Crystal Mineral Specimen #RC13 $7.99 |
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Red Calcite Crystal Mineral Specimen #RC15 $7.99 |
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YELLOW CALCITE STONE CRYSTAL HEALING REIKI GEM # P ROUGH BEAUTIFUL EXCEPTIONAL $9.97 |
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YELLOW CALCITE STONE CRYSTAL HEALING REIKI GEM # 7 ROUGH BEAUTIFUL EXCEPTIONAL $9.97 |
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blue calcite stone crystal healing reiki gem Baby Blue natural metaphysical nice $9.97 |
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Huge AMETHYST, Clear Quartz & Calcite Crystal Point in Agate $475.00 |
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*5* BLUE CALCITE ♥ Crystal Healing ♥ REIKI ♥ ROUGH ♥ Gems ♥ Mineral $2.25 |
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♥50mm Yellow Calcite Sphere-Crystal Healing Stone-REIKI $6.59 |
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** CITRINE CALCITE ♥ Crystal Healing ♥ REIKI ♥ ROUGH ♥ Gems ♥ Mineral $2.25 |
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Calcite Xtals on Spinel-law Twinned Galena Crystals–Bingham Canyon mine, Utah $16.00 |
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10cm MANGANO CALCITE COLLECTORS REIKI PERU CRYSTALS PERU MINERAL SPECIMEN U84 $14.99 |
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9.5cm MANGANO CALCITE COLLECTORS REIKI PERU CRYSTALS PERU MINERAL SPECIMEN U85 $14.99 |
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CHOICE! 1lb Lot of DARK RED CALCITE CORAL Crystal Mexico Cabbing Tumbling RS1-4 $12.99 |
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PYRITE crystals on Calcite $100.00 |
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Rare Giant Super Size Gemmy ORANGE CALCITE Crystal Natural Point Healing $145.00 |
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CHOICE! 1lb Lot of BLUE CALCITE Crystal Mexico Cabbing Tumbling BL1-11 $12.99 |
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Pretty Madagascar BLUE CALCITE Crystal Palm Stone! C19 $21.96 |
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CHOICE! 1lb Lot of BLUE CALCITE Crystal Mexico Cabbing Tumbling CM1-33 $12.99 |
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6.00CT. PHENACITE ( PHENAKITE) CRYSTAL W. CALCITE $4.25 |
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4 LBS of RED CALCITE Rough Crystal Raw Cabbing Tumbling Mexico RC1 $28.00 |
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FLUORESCENT!!! AWESOME CONCH WITH CALCITE CRYSTALS–RUCKS PIT $74.65 |
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4 LBS of RED CALCITE Rough Crystal Raw Cabbing Tumbling Mexico RC2/3 $28.00 |
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Dark Red Uvite Crystal On Calcite Matrix From Brazil $125.00 |
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GOLD CALCITE XL Tumbled Crystal with Description Card – Healing Stone Reiki $5.50 |
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Lovely MARCASITE Crystals on Dog-Tooth Calcite, Germany $15.29 |
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CHOICE! 1lb Lot of BLUE CALCITE Crystal Mexico Cabbing Tumbling CS1-4 $12.99 |
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SEPTARIAN DRAGON STONE / GOLDEN CALCITE CRYSTAL SPECIMEN – FROM MADAGASCAR $22.72 |
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HOT PINK! Natural Cobalt Calcite Glitter Crystal $90.00 |
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Calcite Orange Gemmy crystal all natural sphere 3 inch diameter $24.99 |
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10 BLUE CALCITE MINI NATURAL ROUGH STONE CHUNKS CRYSTAL HEALING REIKI FENG SHUI $0.99 |
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PEACH QUARTZ BRACELET 925 RARE CALCITE TRI COLOR QUARTZ CRYSTAL STONE HEAL $65.00 |
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Collection Mineral Orange CALCITE Green APATITE Crystal $65.99 |
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Calcite Crystal,Mineral Specimen-AOBFX01 $99.99 |