Aragonite is a carbonate mineral, ane o the twa common, naiturally occurrin, crystal furms o calcium carbonate, CaCO3 (the ither furm bein the mineral calcite). It is furmed bi biological an pheesical processes, includin precipitation frae marine an freshwatter environments.
Aragonite's crystal lattice differs frae that o calcite, resultin in a different crystal shape, an orthorhombic seestem wi acicular crystals. Repeatit twinnin results in pseudo-hexagonal furms. Aragonite mey be columnar or fibrous, occasionally in branchin stalactitic furms cried flos-ferri ("flouers o airn") frae thair association wi the ores at the Carinthian airn mines.
