Gypsum from Naica, Mexico – Translucent Crystals on Matrix

This Gypsum specimen from Naica in Chihuahua, Mexico features a dense group of colorless to very pale yellowish crystals on natural matrix. Numerous elongated Gypsum crystals grow in different directions and form a strongly three-dimensional crystal group.

The specimen measures 8 × 8 × 5 cm and weighs 219.1 g including the base. With a maximum dimension of 8 cm, it is a cabinet specimen.

Translucent to partly transparent Gypsum crystals

The Gypsum crystals are predominantly colorless to very pale yellowish and mostly translucent. Individual crystals and thinner areas show better light transmission and are partly transparent.

The crystal habit is predominantly elongated prismatic to bladed-prismatic. The crystals are densely intergrown and partly arranged in fan-like to radiating groups. Numerous crystal faces show a noticeable luster and emphasize the longitudinal striations of the crystals.

Not all crystals show fully preserved terminations. Alongside well-developed crystals, some have incomplete or damaged terminations. This is clearly visible in the photographs and is taken into account in the description of the specimen.

Gypsum from the classic locality Naica

Naica in the Mexican state of Chihuahua is one of the world’s best-known localities for Gypsum. The mining district became especially famous for its exceptionally large and transparent Gypsum crystals from underground cavities.

This specimen represents a smaller collector specimen with numerous Gypsum crystals on matrix. Particularly attractive is the three-dimensional arrangement of the colorless to pale yellowish crystals, which stand out clearly from the darker matrix.

The combination of partly well-terminated, translucent to locally transparent crystals and densely intergrown crystal groups gives the specimen a varied appearance and represents the characteristic Gypsum mineralization of this classic Mexican locality.