Sedimental journey

Behold one of the world’s most common minerals: gypsum! Most of us would recognize this pearly and fibrous crystal in a powdered state after being crushed and used as the main component in plaster, chalk, drywall and even fertilizer. In the wild, intact gypsum crystals can form in ways that are anything but common. Many limestone caves found throughout the Southwest are home to some of the best examples of intact gypsum crystals known to exist in the world. Here’s a look at a few remarkable formations found lurking beneath our feet: