Calcite Archives -

ICELAND SPAR, Did the Vikings Use It for Navigation?

26/10/2014Icelandic Spar, Stone Collection

ICELAND SPAR Did the Vikings Use It for Navigation? Iceland spar is a clear, transparent, colorless crystallized variety of calcite (calcium carbonate, CaCO3). Large pieces are split along natural cleavage planes to form natural rhombs. Iceland spar is probably best known for exhibiting the optical property of double refraction – so, anything viewed through the […]

Icelandic Spar

08/07/2014103 commentsUncategorized

Icelandic Spar (also known as Calcite - Calcit - Calcite - Calcita ) Helgustaðir farther along the shore east of the village Eskifjörður, is world-famous. Polarizing light with Iceland spar from here, the 17th century Dutchman Huygens published discoveries on light as a phenomenon of waves. Evidence of former mining, Helgustaðanáma, makes a visit worthwhile, note [...]