Specifications
Description
Locality: Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Selenite is the clear, crystalline form of gypsum, a hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O), the same mineral used to make drywall. Around Winnipeg, selenite grows as rosettes, many crystals radiating from a common centre, inside the thick clay left by glacial Lake Agassiz, which covered much of southern Manitoba during the Pleistocene. The crystals range from clear or very pale yellow to rich amber.
The clusters begin as balls of intersecting crystals. Larger crystals can then grow outward from the centre, and these are often twinned into a shape that resembles a duck's bill. According to the Fluorescent Mineral Society, these duck bill crystals are known only from the Red River Floodway deposit. Under ultraviolet light they glow brightly and keep glowing for a while afterwards.
The Red River Floodway is a 49 km channel along Winnipeg's eastern edge, built to divert spring floodwater around the city. It was completed in 1968. Selenite was found in test holes and during construction from 1959 on, and rockhounds have collected rosettes from the floodway banks ever since. Later excavation to expand the floodway exposed more crystals that are normally about six metres underground.
This one of a kind Golden Duck Bill Selenite specimen from Manitoba, Canada features a rounded cluster of amber, honey-gold, and smoky brown bladed gypsum crystals with the distinct flattened, curved “duck bill” habit. The specimen shows larger translucent golden blades around the edges, with denser darker crystal growth through the center, giving it a layered, rosette-like form. Its warm golden colour, glossy surfaces, unusual blade shapes, and natural phosphorescent quality make it a striking Canadian display specimen with strong visual character.
Selenite is a crystalline variety of gypsum, a soft sulfate mineral that forms in evaporite environments where mineral-rich water leaves calcium sulfate behind. Manitoba Golden Duck Bill Selenite is especially associated with the Red River Floodway near Winnipeg, where excavation exposed gypsum-rich clay deposits from the ancient Lake Agassiz basin. These specimens are admired for their flattened “duck bill” crystal habit, warm honey to smoky golden colouration, and distinctive flower-like clusters rather than the clear wand-like habit often seen from other selenite localities. Collecting at the Red River Floodway is now restricted. The floodway is provincial flood-control infrastructure, and digging is only allowed with provincial permission, so new material rarely reaches the market.
Spiritually, Selenite is often associated with cleansing, clarity, calm energy, and peaceful focus. Golden and smoky-toned selenite varieties are sometimes connected with grounding light, emotional balance, and gentle protection, while the radiating duck bill form is often appreciated as a natural symbol of growth and renewal. Many collectors use selenite as a display stone for creating a soothing, uplifting atmosphere, and the phosphorescent nature of these Manitoba specimens adds another layer of interest for collectors who appreciate unusual optical properties.
Chemical Composition: CaSO4·2H2O
Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.