Event Title
Calcite: History, Properties, Occurrences, and Uses
Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
1-5-2014 2:00 PM
End Date
1-5-2014 3:00 PM
Project Type
Poster
Description
Calcite is a widely distributed mineral in the earths crust, most commonly within sedimentary rocks, a lot of the time as siliceous sandstone and shale rock units. Its abundance has varied throughout earth history, but at present, it most commonly occurs precipitated within shallow marine settings, precipitating from the supersaturated ocean, and also forming limestone from hard biologic parts such as shells and corals. Calcite has been used for gun sights, mortar, fertilizer, concrete, smelting, soil treatment, and architecture (in marble). Its properties have been the starting point to mineral research throughout history including optical mineralogy and crystal symmetry. It has been used as a mechanism to determine environment changes over thousands of years. Existing in oceans, caves, in cavities of igneous rocks and elsewhere, calcite is one of the most abundant minerals on earth, and understanding its properties is a keystone in understanding geology as a whole.
Faculty Sponsor
Tasha Dunn
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Geology Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Natural Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
470
Calcite: History, Properties, Occurrences, and Uses
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Calcite is a widely distributed mineral in the earths crust, most commonly within sedimentary rocks, a lot of the time as siliceous sandstone and shale rock units. Its abundance has varied throughout earth history, but at present, it most commonly occurs precipitated within shallow marine settings, precipitating from the supersaturated ocean, and also forming limestone from hard biologic parts such as shells and corals. Calcite has been used for gun sights, mortar, fertilizer, concrete, smelting, soil treatment, and architecture (in marble). Its properties have been the starting point to mineral research throughout history including optical mineralogy and crystal symmetry. It has been used as a mechanism to determine environment changes over thousands of years. Existing in oceans, caves, in cavities of igneous rocks and elsewhere, calcite is one of the most abundant minerals on earth, and understanding its properties is a keystone in understanding geology as a whole.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/191