32 Kraus — Occurrence of Celestite near Syracuse, N. Y. 



various faces could, nevertheless, by means of the cleavages 

 parallel to the basal pinacoid and the unit prism, be determined 

 with considerable accuracy. A very common combination of 

 faces consists of the unit prism, m (110) ; macrodome, d (102) ; 

 brachydome, 0(011); and the brachypinacoid, J (010), and 

 the basal pinacoid, c(001). This combination is a usual one 

 with celestite. 



The specific gravity of this celestite was determined by 

 means of a Jolly balance of the Linebarger pattern. The mean 

 of several determinations was found to be 8*958. This agrees 

 very closely, indeed, with the normal specific gravity, 3*962, as 

 given by Kopp.* The mineral not only conforms to the phys- 

 ical properties of celestite, but to the qualitative chemical as 

 well. I shall report later as to the quantitative chemical com- 

 position. 



As already indicated, the mineral was first found near where 

 the electric railroad crosses the turnpike to De Witt. It occurs 

 here in what Yanuxem calls the " Magnesium Deposit." 

 Vanuxemf divides the Salina epoch into four divisions or 

 deposits. He says : ** The first or lowest deposit is the red 

 shale, showing green spots at the upper part of the mass. 

 Secondly, the lower gypseous shales, the low T er part alternating 

 with the red shales, which cease with this mass. Thirdly, the 

 gypseous deposit, which embraces the great mass quarried for 

 plaster, consisting of two ranges, between which are the hopper- 

 shaped cavities, the " Vermicular Limerock " of Eaton, and 

 other porous rocks. Fourthly and lastly, those rocks which 

 show groups of needle-form cavities placed side by side, caused 

 by the crystallization of sulphate of magnesium, and which may 

 from that circumstance be called the "Magnesium Deposit.' " 

 The " Magnesium Deposit " is included in the " Gypseous 

 Shales " of Luther.*}: The celestite is, however, not confined 

 to the '"Magnesium Deposit," for it was also observed in other 

 localities in Yanuxem's " Third Deposit." I was subsequently 



* Naumann-Zirkel, Elemente der Mineralogie, 13th Auflage, 1895, 549. 

 \ Vanuxem. Natural History of New York, Third District, 1842, 95. 

 % Luther, Economic Geology of Onondaga County, 264. 



