Celestine and the carbonate mineral strontianite are the principal sources of the element strontium, commonly used in fireworks and in various metal alloys.

White and orange variants also occurred at Yate, Bristol, UK, where it was extracted for commercial purposes until April 1991.

In carbonate marine sediments, burial dissolution is a recognized mechanism of celestine precipitation.

The geode has celestine crystals as wide as 18 inches (46 cm) across, estimated to weigh up to 300 pounds (140 kg) each.

Celestine geodes are understood to form by replacement of alabaster nodules consisting of the calcium sulfates gypsum or anhydrite.