Fluorapophyllite-K with Stilbite

specimen number:
2072315

location:
Momin Akhada, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India

description:
Green pseudo-cubic crystals of fluorapophyllite to almost 2.0 cm in size across the front of a matrix covered by bladed crystals of stilbite. Some cleaving present as seen.

The Momin Akhada locality, situated near Rahuri in the Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra, India, is a premier mineralogical site located within the expansive Deccan Traps volcanic province. Geologically, the area consists of thick sequences of tholeiitic basalt flows where gas vesicles and cooling fractures provided the necessary space for the secondary precipitation of zeolites and related silicates from hydrothermal fluids. The site is world-renowned for producing exceptional, gem-quality green fluorapophyllite-K crystals, which frequently occur as sharp, lustrous, emerald-green prisms perched elegantly upon a contrasting matrix of white to cream-colored stilbite aggregates. Historically, while much of the region involves agricultural land, specific mining and quarrying activities at Momin Akhada have been primarily artisanal or small-scale, specifically targeting the recovery of high-end mineral specimens for the international market. These specimen-mining efforts gained significant global prominence during the late 1990s and early 2000s as the quality of the green apophyllite reached unprecedented levels. As of 2026, Momin Akhada remains a classic reference locality, prized by collectors for the aesthetic perfection and vivid color of its mineral associations found within the basaltic vugs of the Rahuri area.

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