Iceland spar is a colourless transparent calcite with the composition of CaCO3. Transparent Iceland spar has a very high birefringence, so it is mainly used in the manufacturing of special optical instruments. High-quality Iceland spar forms in calcite and zeolite veins in basalt because its formation is related to hydrothermal processes. Iceland spar can also be found in limestone, but the crystal quality is comparatively low.
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(2020). Iceland Spar. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_1134
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_1134
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