Zeolite and Quartz Specimens on Promotion

Buying guide

Zeolites from the basalts of India

Zeolites are a family of minerals that grow inside the gas pockets of old lava flows. The Deccan basalts of western India, around Pune and Nashik, are one of the richest sources in the world, and quarrying for building stone there turns up pockets lined with delicate crystals.

Stilbite: peach to salmon bow-tie or fan-shaped crystal groups.
Scolecite: fine white needles in sprays.
Thomsonite: white to pink radiating balls and sprays.
Okenite: soft white tufts that look like cotton.
Cavansite: bright blue rosettes, one of the most sought-after Indian minerals.
Apophyllite: clear to green, glassy crystals, often with stilbite. Strictly a close companion of the zeolites rather than one of them.

Care

These specimens are delicate. Handle them by the matrix, never by the crystals, keep them out of water and dust them with a camera air blower.

Questions

Zeolites and other Specimen Promo FAQ

What are zeolites?

A family of minerals that form in cavities in volcanic rock. Many of the finest come from the Deccan basalts of India.

Is apophyllite a zeolite?

Not strictly. Apophyllite belongs to a different mineral group, but it grows in the same cavities as the zeolites and is sold alongside them.

How do I clean zeolite specimens?

Do not wash them. Blow dust off with a camera air blower or a very soft brush and handle them by the matrix.

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Zeolites from the basalts of India

The usual cast

Care

Zeolites and other Specimen Promo FAQ

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