Daisy Bed Gypsum Mineral UK Genuine Crystal Specimen Calcium Sulfate with COA

Description

Genuine Daisy Bed Gypsum from the UK

This listing features a genuine Daisy Bed Gypsum specimen sourced from the UK. The specimen has been carefully hand-selected for quality and display value, and the photograph provided shows the exact piece you will receive. A 1cm scale cube is included for accurate sizing. Each specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, confirming it is a 100% genuine mineral.

Geological Formation and Composition

Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO₄·2H₂O). It forms primarily through the evaporation of saline waters in sedimentary environments such as lakes, seawater basins, and hot springs. Over time, the crystallisation of calcium and sulfate ions produces gypsum deposits, often associated with other evaporite minerals such as halite and anhydrite.

Gypsum ranks at 2 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it one of the softest commonly found minerals. This softness allows it to be easily scratched with a fingernail. Despite its fragility, it is an important mineral industrially and scientifically. Its crystalline forms include alabaster, satin spar, and selenite, each known for distinctive properties and appearances. Daisy Bed Gypsum is a particularly attractive variety, characterised by its delicate crystal arrangements.

Mineralogical Characteristics

Gypsum occurs in a wide range of colours, from pure white and translucent to grey, yellow, or brown depending on impurities. Daisy Bed Gypsum specimens often show unique crystalline clusters with a radiating habit that resembles petals of a flower, giving rise to the descriptive term “daisy bed.” These radiating formations make each specimen highly distinctive and visually appealing.

When exposed to light, gypsum can exhibit a silky to vitreous lustre, and some varieties show fibrous textures or tabular crystals. The softness of gypsum allows it to be shaped and carved, but natural crystal beds such as this are valued for their raw and untouched beauty.

Historical and Practical Significance

Gypsum has been known and used since antiquity. It is widely utilised as a fertiliser to improve soil structure and as a raw material in the production of plaster, plasterboard, and blackboard chalk. In the ancient world, large blocks of alabaster gypsum were carved into decorative items and sculptures.

In geological studies, gypsum is an important indicator of evaporitic environments and helps reconstruct past climatic and depositional conditions. Collectors value gypsum for its diversity of crystal forms and its role as a key evaporite mineral.

Collecting and Display Value

Daisy Bed Gypsum specimens from the UK are admired by mineral collectors for their unique crystalline patterns and delicate structures. Their soft white radiating crystal beds make them excellent display pieces, either for educational purposes, private collections, or as striking natural ornaments. Because each cluster forms in its own distinct way, no two specimens are alike.

This mineral has been carefully chosen for its natural beauty, making it a valuable addition to any collection of crystals or geological specimens.

Authenticity Guarantee

All of our minerals and crystals are 100% genuine specimens. This Daisy Bed Gypsum from the UK comes with a Certificate of Authenticity verifying its natural origin. The exact specimen shown in the photographs is the one you will receive, ensuring full transparency and confidence in your purchase.