Zeolite
Image: Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameZeolite
Chemical FormulaNa2Al2Si3O10·2H2O
Mohs Hardness5
Crystal Systemorthorhombic
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavageperfect on {110}
Fractureuneven to conchoidal
Specific Gravity2.26
Colorswhite, colorless
Transparencytransparent to translucent
Type LocalityNasik District, Maharashtra, India
Mineral GroupZeolites
Usescollector, industrial
Associated Mineralsapophyllite, stilbite, heulandite, calcite
Raritycommon
Description
This specimen is a radiating aggregate of numerous slender, needle-like white to colorless Natrolite crystals, a specific type of zeolite, forming a spherical cluster on a matrix.
Geological Context
Natrolite, a zeolite mineral, typically forms in the amygdaloidal cavities and veins of basaltic and other volcanic rocks, often as a late-stage hydrothermal alteration product.
