1.9" Bright-Yellow Sulfur Crystals - Bolivia

The El Desierto Sulfur Mine produces pockets of beautiful sulfur crystals like you see here. This mine is located in a volcanically active region of mountains in the Western Andes, along the border between Bolivia and Chile. The majority of sulfur coming out of the area's six original mines occurs more as a cementing agent in volcanic ash. However, the El Desierto Sulfur Mine is one of which good crystals like this are found.

The chemical composition of this vibrant mineral is S8, eight sulfur atoms bonded together to form a sulfur molecule. The crystal structures are typically tabular or blocky dipyramids that form in sedimentary rock.

One note on handling: sulfur crystals can crack when exposed to rapid changes in temperature.