Giant 11 metre gypsum crystals

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The giant gypsum crystals in Mexico's "Cueva de los Cristales" are a stunning natural wonder featuring crystals up to 11 metres long.

These giant gypsum (hydrated calcium sulphate) crystals in the “Cave of Crystals” in the Naica mine, Chihuahua, Mexico pose an interesting problem: how are they formed. A Spanish-Mexican team led by Prof García-Ruiz et al. propose that these crystals are derived from "a self-feeding mechanism driven by a solution-mediated, anhydrite-gypsum phase transition". The solution from which the crystals grew were maintained in a very narrow, stable temperature range. It seems likely that related features will be discovered inthe future.

See “Formation of natural gypsum megacrystals in Naica, Mexico”, García-Ruiz et al., 2007, p. 327-330 where the crystals are featured on the cover.

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Wow, the natural world never

Wow, the natural world never ceases to amaze me !

They certainly look beautiful, are there any other pictures of these crystals available anywhere ?

J. Weger: The report says:

J. Weger: The report says: these crystals are derived from "a self-feeding mechanism driven by a solution-mediated, anhydrite-gypsum phase transition". Since these are of hydrated calcium sulphate--is there any way my students could replicate a gypsum crystal in a classroom? They are absolutely spectacular. The only thing that would stun me more visually is a cave full of amythest crystals.