Halite on Gypsum, Pernatty Lagoon, South Australia

Mineral Matters #401

This week’s Facebook Mineral of the Week Group’s selected theme is crystals impaled or perched on another.

This is a bit of a tough one. Unless you know of a specimen, or in your catalogue, you have a description that says “perched”, “impaled”, or something similar, it can be hard to find a suitable offering! Some of us don’t have a description at all for many specimens!

Fortunately, this one did have the word “perched” in the description!

This locality, better-known for its green gypsum, also occasionally produces little surprises like this one. Halite cubes perched on the termination of a gypsum crystal. Ex Joan Lamond Micro Collection.

Below: Halite on gypsum, Pernatty Lagoon, South Australia. 9.7mm high. Click on the image for a higher resolution version.