{"title":"Zeolite","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe term \u003cstrong\u003ezeolite\u003c\/strong\u003e designates not a single mineral but an entire family of hydrated aluminosilicates built from corner-sharing SiO4 and AlO4 tetrahedra that form open, cage-like frameworks. A zeolite is a crystalline, microporous aluminosilicate built from corner-sharing SiO4 and AlO4 tetrahedra, and substituting Al for Si leaves the framework with a net negative charge, balanced by exchangeable cations sitting in the pores. This architecture gives zeolites their famous molecular-sieve behavior in industry, but for collectors the same cavities are what produce the group's spectacular crystal habits. The group includes dozens of distinct species prized on the mineral market: \u003cstrong\u003estilbite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eheulandite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003echabazite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003enatrolite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003emesolite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003escolecite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eanalcime\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003elaumontite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ethomsonite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003emordenite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003egmelinite\u003c\/strong\u003e and the rare \u003cstrong\u003egoosecreekite\u003c\/strong\u003e, each with a characteristic crystal form, from bow-tie sheaves to needle-like sprays to stubby rhombohedra.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe world's richest zeolite deposits occur in the amygdaloidal basalts of the \u003cstrong\u003eDeccan Traps\u003c\/strong\u003e in Maharashtra, India, where quarrying around \u003cstrong\u003ePune\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eNasik\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eJalgaon\u003c\/strong\u003e has produced legendary pockets of peach and salmon-pink stilbite, tabular heulandite, chabazite and needle-fine scolecite and mesolite, often on a matrix of chalcedony alongside apophyllite. Chabazite, mordenite and apophyllite are also found in this assemblage, typical for the Poona area in the Sahyadri Mountains. Beyond India, classic zeolite localities include the basalt plateaus of \u003cstrong\u003eIceland\u003c\/strong\u003e, notably \u003cstrong\u003eBerufjörður\u003c\/strong\u003e near Djúpivogur, the \u003cstrong\u003eFaroe Islands\u003c\/strong\u003e, the \u003cstrong\u003eIsle of Skye\u003c\/strong\u003e in Scotland, the trap rocks of northern New Jersey, and the \u003cstrong\u003eBay of Fundy\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003eNova Scotia\u003c\/strong\u003e, where stilbite is the provincial mineral. Exceptional rarities come from \u003cstrong\u003eMont Saint-Hilaire\u003c\/strong\u003e in Quebec, known for unusual analcime associations, and from Oregon basalts rich in natrolite and analcime, while \u003cstrong\u003eSardinia\u003c\/strong\u003e, Italy serves as the type locality for stilbite-Na.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollectors seek zeolites for the sheer diversity of habit and color packed into a single mineral family: lustrous bow-tie stilbite twins, silky heulandite fans, cubic-looking chabazite rhombohedra, and the fibrous natrolite-mesolite-scolecite series forming radiating sprays and spherical clusters. Mesolite specimens are of particular interest to collectors specializing in zeolite minerals, while scolecite crystals from the Poona quarries can reach imposing size, forming sheaves alongside stilbite and laumontite. Associated species like apophyllite, calcite and quartz frequently accompany zeolites in the same basalt cavities, making a single specimen a compact lesson in secondary mineral formation. Because each species reflects a specific pocket chemistry and cooling history, well-labeled zeolite specimens are valued both for their aesthetic, often jewel-toned crystal sprays and for their scientific interest to systematic collectors building a full suite of the zeolite group.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"fa15-stilbite-canada","title":"STILBITE – Rare Orange Crystals from Nova Scotia, Canada","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"_chunkWrapper_6ta1u_30\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"2\"\u003eNatural \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"35\"\u003eStilbite from the historic Wasson's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"71\"\u003eBluff locality, Nova Scotia, Canada — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"109\"\u003ecelebrated for over 200 years alongside \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"149\"\u003eIndia's Deccan Traps as one of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"184\"\u003eworld's classic zeolite localities. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"220\"\u003eLustrous orange bow-tie crystals, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"254\"\u003egenuinely rare since stilbite from this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"294\"\u003elocality is far less common than the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"331\"\u003eassociated chabazite. A striking, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"365\"\u003euncommon alternative to the typical \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"401\"\u003eIndian material most collectors know.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"_chunkWrapper_6ta1u_30\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"2\"\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"2\"\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"2\"\u003e 70 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"39\"\u003e× 49 × 27 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"39\"\u003eWeight:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"39\"\u003e 39 g\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"75\"\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"75\"\u003e Wasson's Bluff, Two \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"109\"\u003eIslands, Cumberland County, Nova \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"_animating_6ta1u_10\" data-newtext-seq=\"142\"\u003eScotia, Canada\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45451833213037,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/IMG20260226203114.jpg?v=1783881111"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/zeolite.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}