Carbonates
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of approximately 1,100 carbonate mineral specimens. This collection contains 23 species, including most of the commoner types such as calcite, dolomite, malachite, cerussite and smithsonite. The collection contains examples of carbonate mineral from around the world, including Britain and from Scotland. Calcite is the most common species and this is reflected in the collection, where it is represented by a large number of specimens. Among material from Scotland there are specimens of rarer carbonates – caledonite, leadhillite and susannite from the Leadhills mining area and another Scottish speciality, strontianite from near Strontian, Argyllshire. There are also several examples of strange crystals of calcite that have replaced another carbonate mineral, ikaite. These were dredged from the muds of the River Clyde estuary. Carbonate minerals are of widespread occurrence. Calcite, which is calcium carbonate, forms the rocks limestone and chalk. Carbonates are also found in mineral veins.
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