Aragonite Crystal

Aragonite was named in 1797 for the Spanish city where it was first discovered, Molina de Aragon. It is a calcium carbonate mineral that comes in many forms, sometimes forming columns, fibrous or hexagonal. It is translucent, brittle and generally colorless or white-gray, but it can also be many other colors like red, orange, brown or blue. In the US, aragonite is common as stalactites in the Carlsbad Caverns and other caves. Massive deposits of oolic, or sedimentary aragonite is abundant in the Bahamian seabed. Aragonite also forms naturally in mollusk shells and in the calcareous endoskeleton of many corals.