AllMineralsRock
Celestine Vs. Moonstone
Celestine is a very popular mineral composed of strontium sulfate.[1] Moonstone is a gemstone and its chemical composition is sodium potassium aluminium silicate.[2]
Quick Facts on Differences of Celestine and Moonstone
For a quick recap of the differences celestine and moonstone:- While both celestine and moonstone can be translucent or transparent, moonstone can be opaque.
- In terms of crystallography, celestine is orthorhombic while moonstone is monoclinic.
- For chemical formulas, celestine is SrSO4 while moonstone can be (Na or K)AlSi3O8.
- While both celestine and moonstone can be commonly blue or brown, moonstone is often colorless, gray, green, orange, pink, purple, red, white or yellow.
- Celestine's rarity is less rare than moonstone.
- Celestine's specific gravity is higher than moonstone - celestine ranges from 3.9 to 4 and moonstone ranges from 2.56 to 2.59.
Quick Facts on Similarities of Celestine and Moonstone
The similarities of celestine and moonstone include:- In terms of luster, celestine and moonstone both can be pearly or vitreous.
- Celestine and moonstone both streak white.
Summary of Celestine
Celestine, also known as celestite, is a mineral that is typically found in sedimentary rocks and geodes. It is a strontium sulfate mineral that has a unique blue color, making it easily distinguishable from other minerals. Celestine is often found in clusters or aggregates, and its crystals are usually tabular or prismatic in shape. It has a hardness of 3-3.5 on the Mohs scale and a specific gravity of 3.9-4.0.Summary of Moonstone
Moonstone is a type of feldspar mineral that is known for its iridescent sheen, which gives it the appearance of a glowing moon. This mineral is typically white or pale in color, but it can also come in shades of gray, peach, and blue. One of the most distinctive features of moonstone is its adularescence, which is the shimmering effect caused by light reflecting off the layers of the stone. Moonstone is commonly used in jewelry and is a popular gemstone due to its unique appearance.Table Comparison of Celestine vs Moonstone
| Celestine (src) | Moonstone (src) | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | transparent, translucent | transparent, translucent, opaque |
| Chemical Formula | SrSO4 | (Na,K)AlSi3O8 |
| Chemical Composition | strontium sulfate | sodium potassium aluminium silicate |
| Specific Gravity | 3.9, 4 | 2.56, 2.59 |
| Streak | white | white |
| Crystallography | orthorhombic | monoclinic |
| Hydrous | No | No |
| Colors | common: brown, blue sometimes: orange less common: gray, white, yellow, colorless, multicolor |
common: blue, gray, pink, brown, green, white, orange, purple, yellow, colorless, red |
| Fracture | uneven | conchoidal, uneven |