Calcite Stone Meanings, Uses & Healing Properties I Satin Crystals

Boost your confidence and discover the colorful world of Calcite. This abundant and versatile stone can be used in healing all seven of your chakras!

Get ready to learn all about this crystal, from geological facts to metaphysical healing properties. Watch the video, discover how to care for Calcite, and read personal experiences with the stone.

Join the Satin Crystals VIP and stay updated on Calcite and your other favorite gemstones.

Watch the Calcite Stone Video

If you prefer the vibrancy of voice and visuals, watch the Calcite Stone Video and see examples of real Calcite crystals. We look at Calcite's properties, its crystal cousins, and answer your top 5 questions about the stone.

While you are there, watch the entire A-Z Satin Crystals Meanings video series. We answer your questions on all of the most popular crystals. You can also post your questions and stories directly to the Youtube comments.

Can you benefit from Calcite crystals?

You benefit from Calcite crystals if you can relate to any of the following:

You are feeling down in the dumps
You are attracted to rainbows
You love stones with a waxy feel
You are looking for an aromatherapy diffuser stone
You collect crystals for their unique healing properties
You are an avid rock collector
You need more color in your space
You are seeking confidence
You are looking to cleanse your aura of impurities

What is Calcite?

Calcite is the 5th most common mineral on Earth.

Calcite got its name from the Latin word ‘calx’ and the Greek word ‘chalix’ which means lime. It is the main mineral composition in Limestone and metamorphic Marble. Marble is the result of the Calcite in Limestone changing under heat and pressure.

What are the healing properties of Calcite?

Since there are so many colors and types of Calcite crystals, you may feel different energies with each variety. In general, the Calcite family is known for its confident uplifting energies.

Focus on Calcite when you want to absorb the positive lessons from your life experiences. It helps you get rid of those energies which no longer serve you.

Wanting to cut ties with toxic relationships? Move on from stagnant routines? Advance in your life? Use Calcite to get back into the flow of progress.

A stone of abundance both in the physical and metaphysical realms, Calcite reminds you that there is so much more to your world than your small bubble. Live life colorfully with the array of Calcite gemstones.

Read on to find out more about the different Calcite colors and their metaphysical energies.

The most mesmerizing Calcite spheres

Nothing compares to the beauty of these Honey Calcite balls. A limited edition stone, they brighten up any room like a golden sun radiating warmth and joy:

Prefer something cooler? Choose from an amazing selection of icy Blue Calcite to keep you calm. Zen your den with a special piece. Collect palm-sized spheres for holding, or impressive showpieces for ultimate display and Feng Shui balance.

How many colors of Calcite are there?

In its most pure form, Calcite is clear to white. When different minerals jump into the crystallization process, we get a range of colors in the Calcite family.

The benefit of having such diversity in the Calcite family is that there is a color of Calcite for each of the major chakras. You can easily make a whole chakra healing set if you gather the right Calcite stones.

Here are a few healing properties of the different Calcite colors:

White Calcite accesses inner enlightenment and mental growth. Use White Calcite to balance the Crown Chakra.
Blue Calcite helps soothe emotions. When you are freaking out over small things and stress is frying your brain, this gemstone comes to extinguish the flames. Use Blue Calcite to focus the Third Eye and Throat Chakras to cool your mental chatter.
Green Calcite is used for relieving emotional stress. Use Green Calcite to strengthen the Heart Chakra.
Pink Calcite gives you warm and fuzzy feelings. Use Pink Calcite to open the Heart Chakra.
Honey or Yellow Calcite provides warming sun energy to help motivate the lazy. It helps you break through your self-imposed barriers and open up to a bright world of possibilities. Use Honey Calcite to open and balance the emotions at the Solar Plexus Chakra.
Orange or Golden Calcite helps unblock creative expression. It warms the Sacral Chakra for a state of balance at an emotional level so that you can paint your world at the subconscious level.
Red Calcite activates emotions. Use Red Calcite to balance the Root Chakra.
Black Calcite is also known as Shamanite Calcite because of its use in shamanic rituals. Use Black Calcite to keep you grounded at the Root Chakra while you go journeying on astral travels.

Where do you find Calcite?

Calcite forms in different places from hot springs, caves, coral reefs, and seashells. It can also form, dissolve, and reform. It is used to create both invertebrate shells and coral formations of stalactites, stalagmites, and man-made structures.

Being a ubiquitous stone, you can imagine that is found around the world and in many forms. You can find Calcite in so many locations because it easily grows in all kinds of conditions.

How many types of Calcite are there?

Being such a common stone, there are hundreds of types of Calcite out there. Calcite may be the crystal with the most shapes and forms of all of the minerals in the world.

If you call yourself a crystal lover or a rock collector, you will surely have at least one type of Calcite in your collection.

Here are a select few types and colors you may be interested in:

Blue Calcite is a soft blue stone that often shows white patches.
Cobaltian Calcite (also known as Cobaltoan Calcite) can be light pink but is prized for its dark magenta color.
Dogtooth Calcite is a four-sided pointed crystal reminiscent of a dog's teeth.
Green Calcite varies from waxy to matte color, mottled with white matrix.
Honey Calcite, Golden Calcite, or Yellow Calcite is a stone ranging from light yellow to a rich honey-gold tone. It often shows shiny inclusions and a rainbow sheen. The opaque version may also be called Ambronite.
Nail Head Calcite occurs when Calcite crystals have six sides and flattened tops.
Mangano Calcite is a soft pink stone with white bands. It gets its color from Manganese.
Orange Calcite helps to uplift emotions.
Red Calcite ranges from a light red to a brick red, waxy to matte finished rock. It gets its color from Iron inclusions.
White Calcite comes in pure white and a translucent white known as Iceland Spar or Optical Calcite.

What is Optical Calcite?

Also known as Iceland Spar, this clear Calcite is known for its amazing ability to bend light. Optical Calcite can refract light twice, and can, therefore, show items placed under the stone as doubled. We see a similar effect in the rarer Ulexite, aka TV stones.

Viking sailors used Iceland Spar to navigate the seas on cloudy days. They called it Sunstone, but in 2011 it has been theorized that they were actually using Optical Calcite, a crystal common in the Scandinavian area. It was determined that moving Optical Calcite in and out of the sailors' field of vision made them see a double dot pattern that lined up with the direction of the Sun behind the clouds.

Optical Calcite opened up a whole new world for scientists with its polarized lenses from microscopes to war gun sights. Optical Calcite crystals became in high demand and are now the most expensive of the otherwise common Calcite offerings. You can read in-depth about its role in science in Iceland Spar: The Rock That Discovered Optics.

Because of its light refraction, Optical Calcite has even been considered for creating a cloak of invisibility. Now they only need to make a crystal suit light enough to wear!

Calcite crystals formed the complex eye systems of Trilobites millions of years ago. Or did they? A new 2019 study challenges this long-held theory. The debate goes on.

Colorful Calcite Crystals for your Collection

Calcite is available in so many fun colors and forms. It's easy for everyone to find something to fall in love with. Calcite is candy to the eyes. Here are some powerful and popular healing Calcite stones to add to your collection:

What does Calcite feel like?

Like its vast array of colors, Calcite varies from dull to shiny in its natural formation. The clearer crystals tend to be shinier while the opaque ones seem to be more grainy. In crystal forms, they are usually waxy in feel.

If you have a rough and grainy stone, you can use it as an essential oil diffuser.

Learn more about How to use crystals for Aromatherapy.

What is Calcite used for in everyday life?

Calcite, Limestone, and Marble have been used since ancient times to build pyramids, buildings, and sculptures.
Crushed up or heated, Calcite in Limestone and Marble neutralizes acid in the soil.
Crushed Limestone and Marble produce calcium-rich supplements for animal feed.
Calcium Carbonates are mixed with sugar and flavors to make chewable antacid tablets to neutralize stomach acids.
Powdered Calcite is used as white paint and whitewash.
Calcium Carbonate usually in the form of Limestone is used in glass production to make the glass strong and water resistant.

Who is Calcite Polymorphous with?

Before you get any amorous ideas, we said polymorphous. This means that Calcite has the same chemicals but different crystal structures from its cousins Aragonite and Vaterite. Vaterite is rare, but Aragonite is very common in the gem trade.

In the crystal world, you will often see Aragonite show up with Calcite like in Septarian Stones and in what they call Italian Onyx. Keep in mind that sometimes the Calcite and Aragonite crystals are so small that it is really hard to distinguish them from each other.

What stones are related to Calcite?

Here are some other stones you may have heard of that are directly or indirectly related to Calcite.

Coral, Pearls, Shells - and other Marine formations are mostly composed of Calcite.

Dolomite - Magnesium-rich cousin to calcite

Lapis Lazuli - Calcite is usually found in white streaks and patches in Lapis Lazuli.

Limestone - Grainy rock composed mostly of marine shells and corals, which are mostly built with Calcite and Aragonite minerals

Marble - A crystallized Calcite where heat and pressure have changed Limestone with interlocking crystals

Rhodochrosite - Manganese-rich cousin with a distinct pink banded color

Septarian Stone - Formed with distinct yellow Calcite, brown Aragonite, and gray Limestone bands.

Travertine - Forms when the calcium carbonate evaporates in hot springs or caves, leaving behind this yellowish stone full of pores where the bubbles of the carbonate once were.

What is Italian Onyx?

Italian Onyx is layered Aragonite or Calcite and you will find it in crystal figurines and carvings. You may also hear it called Onyx Marble, California Onyx, or Mexican Onyx although it has no relation to Onyx.

In the picture, you'll see an Italian Onyx goblet layered with white Calcite and brown Aragonite.

Sheila's personal experience with Calcite

When first I laid eyes on Dogtooth Calcite, I was intrigued. This was well before I had any dogs of my own, but now that I do have dogs, it's all the more intriguing. This Calcite has fang-like formations which are just plain cool.

I also love Calcite which shows off its colors deep and bold like a hearty Golden Honey Calcite. I am particularly drawn to deep, yellow-toned Calcites as these are uplifting in both color and energies. As you may know, yellow stones activate and strengthen the Solar Plexus, or our emotional Chakras, balancing our moods and allowing us to operate sanely in our every day.

I also have a Honey Calcite crystal that has been polished into a large platter that I use for both aesthetic beauty and a lifting of emotions. My guests feel happy when they see bright-colored stones in my home and thus the mood of the moment is equally elevated!

Lisa's personal experience with Calcite

Like Sheila, my favorite Calcite is Golden Honey Calcite. I like the type that has clear layers to show off internal rainbows and sheen. I prefer it in the polished sphere form.

I have a big chunk of opaque Orange Calcite in my office. I think it's designed to be a bookend or something, but it's holding some work items in place. When I look at it, I feel like there is a slice of sunshine in the room.

Magical Incantation of Calcite

This is a message from Calcite from Doreen Virtue and Judith Lukomski's book "Crystal Therapy":

"We're a family of colors united as the people of the earth. Each of us is different at first glance, yet we're much the same upon deeper review. We carry the history of being within us: Shaped in the cradle of the earth by water and air, we bring emotions to light. Today we ask you to partake in a journey of exploration as brothers and sister, with trust and understand. Peel back the layers of emotional sediment to openly reveal your magical essence."

How can I identify Calcite?

Calcite comes in so many colors and formations, sometimes it's hard to distinguish it from other crystals. Here are three ways you may be able to tell if you have Calcite in your hands:

1. Calcite is a relatively soft stone with a 2.5-3 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, easily scratched by a knife or metal nail. It will not scratch Quartz which is a 7 in hardness nor any other harder stone.

2. Calcite is highly reactive even to weak acids like vinegar. It will start to bubble like carbonated water.

3. You will see rhombohedral cleavage in most Calcite types, meaning that wherever it naturally breaks you will see rhomboid angles. If you forgot your geometry class, this is a parallelogram shape where the adjacent sides are uneven in length.

Calcite vs Celestite

We learned in the Angelite article how Angelite is not Celestite, neither is Calcite. Calcite is a Calcium Carbonate mineral while Celestine is a sulfate of strontium. Calcite bubbles with hydrochloric acid while Celestite will not react. Calcite is also less dense than Celestite, so if you are holding a piece of each in both hands of the same size, the Celestite should feel heavier.

Blue Calcite is also usually more opaque with a more white and grainy texture while the Celestite will be a bit more clear and crystalline. And, if you're shopping for both stones, real Celestite should be much more expensive than Blue Calcite.

Calcite vs Dolomite

Calcite bubbles when in contact with hydrochloric acid while Dolomite bubbles only when powdered and only very slowly in this same acid.

Calcite vs Gypsum

Gypsum or Selenite is much softer than Calcite. It is only a 2 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness and can easily be scratched by your fingernail, which Calcite can not. So although they may have the same radiant shine, it is easy to tell the stone stones apart.

Calcite vs Quartz

Opposite of Gypsum, Quartz is much harder than Calcite. It is a 7 on the Mohs Scale of hardness, so it will not easily be scratched. In fact, it will easily scratch Calcite. Quartz will also not react to acid like Calcite will.

What are Calcite Cave Pearls?

Cave pearls develop when dripping water in limestone caves form bowl-shaped formations at the bottom of the cave.

As the water evaporates, Calcite stays behind, coating any rocks and sand that are at the bottom of the cave. The Calcite keeps on layering up until the remaining crystal resembles a pearl in shape.

When a large number of these pearls form in the natural bowl, they are also known as bird's nest Calcite.

How do you clean Calcite?

In general, you want to keep Calcite away from water. A brief run under water and complete drying may be okay for your stone, but this is a more sensitive crystal and it should not be kept in prolonged water.

If you are cleaning Calcite jewelry, make sure to keep the metal components in mind as well.

Keep Calcite jewelry hung up on a rack or stored in its original Satin Crystals box when not in use so it is protected from scratching or tangling with other stones.

If you are looking to metaphysically cleanse, charge, and program crystals, visit our Crystal Care guide.

How do you clean off unwanted Calcite?

Hydrochloric acid is used to clean unwanted Calcite off other crystals. If you want to do some testing, you can buy hydrochloric acid in hardware stores or pool supply stores, but make sure to wear protective gear and read the instructions.

Does Calcite glow in the dark?

Yes, Calcite is part of the small number of minerals that glow in the dark. This effect is known as fluorescence. They show a glow under UV light. And some are even phosphorescent meaning that they glow for a bit after you turn off the UV light. Not all Calcite will glow, but the ones that do are especially coveted.

Calcite will also glow as metal does under high heat.

What are the mineral facts of Calcite?

Did you know that the largest single piece of Calcite ever found weighed 500,000 pounds? Here are more facts about this amazing mineral.

Calcite is a 2.5-3 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness
Surface Color: White, Clear, Brown, Gray, Yellow, Red, Pink, Purple, Orange, Blue, Green, Black
Streak Color (can vary from surface color, this is the color of the crystals’ powdered minerals): White
Group: Calcite Group
Cleavage (where the crystal breaks off naturally to form a new face, parallel to its structure. This is a clean break and can cleave over and over again along the same face, retaining the crystals structure): Six-sided Polyhedrons
Fracture: Conchoidal (smooth and rounded like when glass breaks)
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)
Transparency: Transparent to Opaque
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Crystal Habit: Rhombohedral (like a cube but the faces are parallelograms instead of squares), Prismatic (two end faces are similar in shape), Scalenohedral (a pyramidal form of the rhombohedral system where the faces are scalene triangles), Tabular, Flaky, Needle-like, Acicular (hair-like), Grainy, Stalactitic, Fibrous
Fluorescence: Yes

Calcite in stone and jewelry form

Calcite is an abundant stone so it's pretty affordable in its polished formations. It is easy to carve and polish, so you will find Calcite in shiny hearts, balls, eggs, wands, and other intriguing shapes. The variety in Calcite colors makes it appealing to all tastes.

As for Calcite jewelry, you don't find too much of the crystal in beaded form as it has to be waxed or coated to last wear and tear. It is also difficult to cut into fancier gemstones because of the softness. As a consequence, Calcite jewelry can be pricier than its polished figurine counterparts. But, its mellow energies and muted tones can enhance your outfits and keep you swimming in emotional calm.

Available in pale pinks, deep yellows, optical whites, baby blues, and many other hues, Calcite is an absolute joy for the rock collector crowd. Another bonus for buyers is that Calcite is rarely treated or dyed like other gemstones in the market.

Ready to buy Calcite?

Calcite is a positive addition to your crystal healing collection. Shop the Calcite Collection at Satin Crystals or buy your favorite pieces right here:

Your Calcite Journeys

Continue on your Calcite journeys with the following guides:

Calcite Shopping Guides

Calcite Reference Guides

Grow with Satin Crystals

How many Calcite colors do you have in your collection?

Do you have a favorite Calcite formation? Have you used Calcite for healing energies? Feel free to write to us below and we will get back to you.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for entertainment only. See full disclosure.

Name

Phone Number

Message