Analcime

specimen number:
1052781

location:
Seiser Alm, South Tyrol, Sudtirol, Italy

description:
Large sharp formed crystals of analcime measuring to 3.3 cm in size across the top of matrix. Fine old time example of this Alpine classic. In very good condition. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video giving an acquisition date in 1908.

The Seiser Alm region, situated in South Tyrol, Italy, is a vast alpine pasture area known geologically for its complex Middle Triassic volcanic and sedimentary sequences. Geologically, the area belongs to the Western Dolomites, featuring thick layers of Ladinian-age basaltic tuffs, pillow lavas, and volcaniclastic sediments that directly interfinger with or overlie marine Schlern dolomite formations. Hydrothermal fluids circulating through these dark volcanic tuffs deposited various minerals within cavities, including noteworthy zeolites like analcime and heulandite. Historical quarrying and localized exploration occurred intermittently during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with small-scale extraction focused on collecting these volcanic materials and associated minerals. True industrial mining never fully developed on the pasture due to its geographic elevation and isolation, and the sporadic, small-scale quarrying activities largely ceased prior to the mid-twentieth century as the region transitioned toward tourism.

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