GeologyRocks

Strange holiday destinations your friends have.  Should have tried Skegness-Upon-Soggy, and we wouldn't be faced with this problem of crystalised plants.  Crystalised fruits and crystalised ginger - yes, but not plants!

 On a more serious note, almost certainly these are an evaporate mineral called gypsum.  You even have this in your home - the ceiling boards.  There are a number of varieties such as  'satin' spar, alabasta and selenite, and from the pictures I believe they are the latter.

 Any one got other thoughts?

John

“Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” -  Will Durant

My thoughts on seeing the photos were exactly the same as John's.  I'd say they're selenite, a variety of gypsum which is found in arid environments.

I'm agreeing too: selenite

Thanks all.
If selenite is an evaporite material, does this mean that the area must have been flooded at some point to allow the crystals to form?

Yes.  There was certainly water.  Either a river opening to the ocean, saline lake or sea.

These things turn up everywhere.  Irregular clusters were found when they cut the M40 through Wendlebury in Oxfordshire, and when they put a by-pass round my village in Wiltshire, I was digging up perfect diamond shaped selenite crystals.  Both these places lay on Oxford Clay, which runs from Dorset on the south coast in a sort of arc up to The Wash.  Undoubtedly there will be other finds of this as more digging takes place.  The Oxford Clay, I used to think, was the result of a river running from where Normandy is today northwards, but I also found ammonites and belemnites so it must have had an opening to the sea.

You would almost certainly find gypsum crystals around the borders of what was the Zechstien Sea from Cheshire across to Poland.

But I can't even pronounce Turkmenistan, far less know its geology! So I can only guess that sometime in the past it has been covered by sea.

John

“Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” -  Will Durant

Those pics are really beautiful!  And just learned a lot about gypsum. Thanks GR

Would you like some of these diamond shaped selenite crystals Jenny?  I've got loads.

John

“Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” -  Will Durant

Oooh don't tempt me with pretty rocks!

Why did that take you 3 months to respond?  You are welcome to some of these gypsum crystals. I've got several boxes of them.

John

“Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” -  Will Durant

It took me ages to respond because I haven't been keeping up with my messages, or my Tweets, or anything really.  Slapping my wrist now.  I was trying to find a job, volunteering and finsihing my second novel.  Now I feel free again

Thank you very much for the crystals.  I will try to find a nice home for them.