Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico
Calcium sulfate (CaSO<sub>4</sub>) is one of the most common evaporites found in the earth’s crust. It can be found as four main variations: gypsum (CaSO<sub>4</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O), bassanite (CaSO<sub>4</sub>∙0.5H<sub>2</sub>O), soluble...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Minerals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/3/292 |
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| author | Iván Jalil Antón Carreño-Márquez Isaí Castillo-Sandoval Bernardo Enrique Pérez-Cázares Luis Edmundo Fuentes-Cobas Hilda Esperanza Esparza-Ponce Esperanza Menéndez-Méndez María Elena Fuentes-Montero María Elena Montero-Cabrera |
| author_facet | Iván Jalil Antón Carreño-Márquez Isaí Castillo-Sandoval Bernardo Enrique Pérez-Cázares Luis Edmundo Fuentes-Cobas Hilda Esperanza Esparza-Ponce Esperanza Menéndez-Méndez María Elena Fuentes-Montero María Elena Montero-Cabrera |
| author_sort | Iván Jalil Antón Carreño-Márquez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Calcium sulfate (CaSO<sub>4</sub>) is one of the most common evaporites found in the earth’s crust. It can be found as four main variations: gypsum (CaSO<sub>4</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O), bassanite (CaSO<sub>4</sub>∙0.5H<sub>2</sub>O), soluble anhydrite, and insoluble anhydrite (CaSO<sub>4</sub>), being the key difference the hydration state of the sulfate mineral. Naica giant crystals’ growth starts from a supersaturated solution in a delicate thermodynamic balance close to equilibrium, where gypsum can form nanocrystals able to grow up to 11–12 m long. The growth rates are reported to be as slow as (1.4 ± 0.2) × 10<sup>−5</sup> nm/s, taking thousands of years to form crystals with a unique smoothness and diaphaneity, which may or may not include solid or liquid inclusions. Conservation efforts can be traced back to other gypsum structures found prior to Naica’s. Furthermore, in the last two decades, several authors have explored the unique requirements in which these crystals grow, the characterization of their environment and microclimatic conditions, and the prediction of deterioration scenarios. We present a state-of-the-art review on the mentioned topics. Beyond the findings on the origin, in this work we present the current state and the foreseeable future of these astounding crystals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:20:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ba7627ce07aa4ff19a1ba80d2fd83025 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:20:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-ba7627ce07aa4ff19a1ba80d2fd830252023-11-21T10:02:47ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2021-03-0111329210.3390/min11030292Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, MexicoIván Jalil Antón Carreño-Márquez0Isaí Castillo-Sandoval1Bernardo Enrique Pérez-Cázares2Luis Edmundo Fuentes-Cobas3Hilda Esperanza Esparza-Ponce4Esperanza Menéndez-Méndez5María Elena Fuentes-Montero6María Elena Montero-Cabrera7Department of Engineering, Universidad La Salle Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31625, MexicoDepartment of Environment and Energy, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Chihuahua 31136, MexicoDepartment of Computational Chemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, MexicoDepartment of Environment and Energy, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Chihuahua 31136, MexicoDepartment of Environment and Energy, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Chihuahua 31136, MexicoDepartment Physicochemical Assays, Instituto Eduardo Torroja de Ciencias de la Construcción, 28033 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Computational Chemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31125, MexicoDepartment of Environment and Energy, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Chihuahua 31136, MexicoCalcium sulfate (CaSO<sub>4</sub>) is one of the most common evaporites found in the earth’s crust. It can be found as four main variations: gypsum (CaSO<sub>4</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O), bassanite (CaSO<sub>4</sub>∙0.5H<sub>2</sub>O), soluble anhydrite, and insoluble anhydrite (CaSO<sub>4</sub>), being the key difference the hydration state of the sulfate mineral. Naica giant crystals’ growth starts from a supersaturated solution in a delicate thermodynamic balance close to equilibrium, where gypsum can form nanocrystals able to grow up to 11–12 m long. The growth rates are reported to be as slow as (1.4 ± 0.2) × 10<sup>−5</sup> nm/s, taking thousands of years to form crystals with a unique smoothness and diaphaneity, which may or may not include solid or liquid inclusions. Conservation efforts can be traced back to other gypsum structures found prior to Naica’s. Furthermore, in the last two decades, several authors have explored the unique requirements in which these crystals grow, the characterization of their environment and microclimatic conditions, and the prediction of deterioration scenarios. We present a state-of-the-art review on the mentioned topics. Beyond the findings on the origin, in this work we present the current state and the foreseeable future of these astounding crystals.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/3/292Naicagypsumgiant crystalsnucleation |
| spellingShingle | Iván Jalil Antón Carreño-Márquez Isaí Castillo-Sandoval Bernardo Enrique Pérez-Cázares Luis Edmundo Fuentes-Cobas Hilda Esperanza Esparza-Ponce Esperanza Menéndez-Méndez María Elena Fuentes-Montero María Elena Montero-Cabrera Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico Minerals Naica gypsum giant crystals nucleation |
| title | Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico |
| title_full | Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico |
| title_short | Evolution of the Astonishing Naica Giant Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico |
| title_sort | evolution of the astonishing naica giant crystals in chihuahua mexico |
| topic | Naica gypsum giant crystals nucleation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/3/292 |
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