Gypsum essays

Gypsum essays The mineral gypsum is the most common sulfate mineral found mostly in sedimentary rocks. Its chemical formula, CaSO4 2H2O, explains its chemistry as a hydrated calcium sulfate mineral. Gypsum has a variety of colors including white, colorless, yellowish white, greenish white, or brown and it has a white streak color. Its pearly luster gives it a pretty glow, and some forms of gypsum would make nice jewelry if it was stronger, as its hardness it two. When gypsum is heated it changes to a powder form. If water is then added to the powder is can become hard when drying and set to the shape it is molded in. Gypsum has many uses in out every day life that we often overlook. It is used to make plaster-of-Paris, which has many reasons itself, but its also used to make floor underlayments, plasters and cements for art and casting, soil fertilizer, fake snow in Hollywood as well as scenery, road and surface repairs, as well as dry wall. Companies like USG, United States Gypsum, sell different forms of the minerals for all sorts of different projects requiring plaster. USG might buy its source of gypsum from Germany, because there are many cities in Germany that mine Gypsum. The cities of Heimkenie, Wald Schmiede, Seefrotte, Nixsee Valley, Slazaspring, Rhumequw, and the Cave of Segberg are all mines in Germany. One of the locations in the USA, the Alablaster Caverns in Okalahoma City, is the largest gypsum cave in the world. The Caverns are such a perfect environment for gypsum to grow because the fine soil creates clear crystals. The clay in the soil gives the formations an interesting hourglass shape. This gave is so special because it is open to the public and they are allowed to search for crystals. To remove the crystals, they are instructed to dig a 1-2ft hole and let the water fill it in. The water loosens to soil and allows the crystals to show and they come out easily. The crystals only have a hardness of two, ...