7.4" Prehnite Crystal Cluster with Gyrolite & Apophyllite - India

This is an excellent prehnite pseudomorph cast after laumontite, found in Bombay, India. Small fibrous white balls of gyrolite and colorless apophyllite crystals can be found peppered across the light green prehnite. This is a truly gorgeous mineral formation that would make a great addition to any mineral collection.

About Prehnite

Prehnite is a translucent to transparent mineral typically ranging in color from pale green to yellow-green, though it can also appear white, gray, or colorless. It often forms in botryoidal, globular, or crystalline habits and has a vitreous to pearly luster. Prehnite is a calcium aluminum silicate hydroxide and is commonly associated with zeolites in the cavities of volcanic rocks. It has a Mohs hardness of 6 to 6.5 and is found in locations worldwide, including South Africa, Australia, China, and the United States.

This specimen comes from the Deccan Traps, a large igneous province and one of the largest volcanic features on Earth, in the Pune Province of western India. In the course of quarrying for other materials or digging wells, sometimes large pockets of zeolites and other minerals are unearthed in the volcanic rock.

Apophyllite, while not a zeolite itself, is almost always found associated with zeolites in the same pockets. It has two crystal habits: a rectangular prism capped by a steep four-sided pyramid, or a pseudo-cubic structure. While not a well-known mineral to the general public, it is popular among mineral collectors due to its pastel colors and beautiful crystal formations.

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DETAILS
SPECIES
Prehnite, Apophyllite & Gyrolite
LOCATION
Mumbai (Bombay) District, Maharashtra, India
SIZE
7.4 x 5.3"
CATEGORY
ITEM
#122093