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PRINTER'S NO. 236
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
278
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY PICKETT, CORBIN, DONATUCCI, GABLER, HEFFLEY,
PHILLIPS-HILL AND WHEELAND, JANUARY 31, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 31, 2017
AN ACT
Selecting, designating and adopting celestine as the official
State mineral of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Findings.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Celestine was first discovered in Bellwood, near
Frankstown, Blair County, Pennsylvania, in 1791 by Andreas
Gotthelf Schutz, a visiting naturalist from Freiberg,
Germany. In 1797, Martin Klaproth, the leading chemist in
Germany of his time, determined the chemical composition of
celestine as strontium sulfate. Abraham Gottlob Werner, a
founding father of the sciences of mineralogy and physical
geology, offered the name and physical description in 1798.
The first crystal structure of celestine was published in
1925 by R. W. James and W. A. Wood.
(2) Celestine derives its name from Latin caelestis,
meaning "heavenly," in allusion to the beautiful sky-blue
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color of the first specimen from this Commonwealth. Celestine
grows as large, clear crystals that can be faceted into gems.
With the same brilliance as topaz, celestine crystals are
lovely gemstones.
(3) Celestine has been found in Bellwood, Blair County;
East Salem, Juniata County; Lime Bluff, Lycoming County;
Meckley's Quarry, Northumberland County; Allenport,
Huntingdon County; and Faylors Middle Creek Quarry, Mifflin
County.
(4) Celestine is a major ore for strontium, whose
compounds are responsible for the bright red flames in
fireworks and road flares. Strontium salts also were employed
for refining beet sugar and, during the long period when
cathode-ray tubes dominated television technology, strontium
was added to the glass to absorb X-rays for the protection of
the viewer.
(5) Designating celestine as our State mineral will
remind the residents of Pennsylvania that our Commonwealth
boasts a rich natural history that is marked by a mineralogy
of great beauty and diversity. This act will provide a
positive experience to countless school children whose
interest in Pennsylvania history and geology will be piqued.
Section 2. Official State mineral.
Celestine, a mineral appearing as sky-blue or white
orthorhombic crystals or in fibrous masses, is hereby selected,
designated and adopted as the official State mineral of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Section 3. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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