Cavansite with Stilbite

specimen number:
2072243

location:
Wagholi Quarry, Maharashtra, India

description:
Sprays of blue cavansite crystal scattered across the top of matrix with white lustrous crystals of stilbite. In good condition.

The Wagholi Quarry complex, located near the city of Pune in the Maharashtra state of India, is a world-famous locality situated within the massive Deccan Traps volcanic province. Geologically, the site consists of multiple open-pit basalt quarries where cooling-related gas vesicles and cavities within the tholeiitic basalt flows provided the perfect environment for the growth of secondary zeolites and related silicate minerals. The locality is most renowned for producing the finest known specimens of cavansite, a rare calcium vanadium silicate mineral distinguished by its intense, vibrant electric-blue color and radiating acicular crystal habit. Historically, these quarries have operated as industrial sources of crushed stone and road aggregate for several decades, with the mineralogical significance of the site coming to international prominence in the mid-1980s and 1990s. While mining at Wagholi is primarily driven by the construction industry, the careful hand-recovery of mineral specimens by local workers has ensured a steady supply of high-quality cavansite and pentagonite for the global market. Although urban expansion and changing regulations have impacted operations over the years, the Wagholi name remains synonymous with the highest standard for blue vanadium minerals in contemporary mineralogy.

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