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Calcite

Geology/History
Originally named as a mineral by Gaius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the elder) in 79 from Calx, Latin for Lime. Later in the 19th century Calx became the German Calcit, then finally Calcite, meaning Limestone.
One of the world’s most widespread & certainly its most diverse mineral. There are well over 300 noted varieties of Calcite with highly variable forms & colours. Crystals are trigonal-rhombohedral with a remarkable variety of habits including acute to obtuse rhombohedra, tabular forms, prisms, or various scalenohedra. Calcite exhibits four laws of twinning adding to the variety of forms.
Commonly found in sedimentary rocks, Limestone in particular & the primary mineral in metamorphic Marble & Tavertine. These rocks make up a significant portion of Earth's crust & provide one of the largest carbon repositories on the planet.
Calcite exhibits an unusual characteristic called retrograde solubility, meaning it becomes less soluble in water as the temperature increases. When conditions facilitate precipitation, Calcite can fill fractures & form mineral coatings that cement the existing rock grains together. When conditions facilitate dissolution, the removal of calcite can greatly increase the porosity & permeability of the rock. When this continues for prolonged periods of time the formation of caves can occur. Calcite also occurs as a vein mineral in deposits from hot springs & in caverns as stalactites & stalagmites.
Mined extensively for a wide variety of uses, the properties of Calcite make it extremely useful for industrial purpose. Such as cement, limestone, marble building stones, agricultural supplements, soil remediation, soil stabilization, pharmaceuticals, pigment & as an abrasive, the list of uses is extensive.
High-grade optical calcite was used in World War II for gun sights, specifically in bomb sights & anti-aircraft weaponry. For thousands of years humans have quarried & utilised Calcite. Limestone blocks were the primary construction material used in many of the pyramids of Egypt & Latin America.

Metaphysical Properties
The Inspiration stone, that captures & radiates rainbow energy. Full of joy, happiness & opportunity, Calcite’s fine yet powerful energy lifts vibrations to great heights & instills immense peace. An attitude of anything is possible lies with Calcite, dreams can glide effortlessly into reality. It helps get motivated & be proactive.
Calcite is an excellent healer it cleanses, balances & energises, creating a perfect platform for regeneration. Its expansive nature helps to release / break free of all restrictions whether they be emotional, mental or energetic. With motivating optimism, Calcite’s message is paint the sky with your own stars. It imparts the strength to create & true courage to embrace the self, freely & wholly.
The sustained joyous energy of this stone shifts old mental perceptions, bringing a childlike happiness & restoring genuine wonder. It is excellent for forgiveness & dissolving emotional or mental trauma. Calcite establishes a sacred sanctuary from within & reflects it into the physical realm. It teaches the simple truth of manifestation, that joy, happiness & laughter come first from within. Our world is a reflection & the power to change it lies within. This truth comes with peace & positivity, the ability to be the master of your own destiny.
In addition to the above across the board attributes there are many colours which vary slightly in energetic resonance below is a short list of the most commonly seen variants & their most prominent traits.
Blue Calcite: Provides deeptranquility & relaxation, excellent for meditation & reaching states of higher consciences, Calming & reduces stress or anxiety, opens communication in physical & spiritual realms, connects to the air & water sprites & elements, good for protection when traveling at sea or by air, resonates with the throat & third eye chakra.
Green Calcite: Clears & balances all energy systems, Earth, plant & animal healing, can channel ancient Earth magic, connects to the fae, dragon & elemental realms, releases emotional trauma & heart ache, good for high endurance activities, excellent for green magic, good for the immune system, assists with memory retention, resonates with the Heart chakra.
Honey & Gold: Abundance & wealth, Astral projection & visiting higher mental planes, meditation & prophetic vision, resilience & energy, mental clarity & expansion assists in assimilating new information or energies, very useful for energy attunements such as Reiki, great for study or difficult tasks. Connects to the dragon fly & shows how to see through the veils of illusion.
Orange & Yellow: Harnesses sun & fire energy, ancestral connection, helps with achieving soul purpose & navigating life paths, good forstomach & digestive issues, creativity, artistic expression & liberation, high energy charged with immense joy & happiness, instills a youthful exuberance, resonates with solar plexus chakra,

Crystal Healing
All ailments - certain colours will resonate more powerfully with individual energy centers & chakras.

Mineralogy
Group: Calcite - Carbonate
Composition:CaCO3
Hardness: 3
Streak: White
Specific Gravity: 2.69-2.71
R.I: 1.486 – 1.658
Lustre: Vitreous, Sub-vitreous, resinous, waxy, pearly
Transparency: Transparent to translucent
Crystal System: Trigonal
Form/Habit: Crystalline, granular, stalactitic, concretionary, massive, rhombohedral.
Cleavage: Perfect rhombohedral, three directions with angle of 74° 55'
Twinning: Common by four twin laws
Fracture: Conchoidal, sub conchoidal, brittle
Colour: Colourless or white, grey, yellow, orange, green, pink, blue, black & many varying shades
Birefringence: δ = 0.154–0.174
Strunz Classification: 5.AB.05
Dana Classification: 14.1.1.1
Morphology:Over 800 different forms have been described. Most commonly as acute rhombohedrons or prismatic with scalenohedral terminations, or combinations of the two.
Solubility: Soluble in dilute acids
Fluorescence: May fluoresce red, blue, yellow & other colours under either SW or LW UV
Other properties: May be phosphorescent, thermoluminescent & triboluminescent