Stilbite

specimen number:
2063478

location:
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, India

description:
Classic bowtie stilbite specimen, this a loose double terminated grouping of lustrous colorless to slightly peach stilbite crystals. In great condition all around.

Situated within the volcanic Deccan Traps of Maharashtra, India, the region around Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) features thick layers of prehistoric basaltic lava flows. As these massive lava beds cooled, trapped gas bubbles created numerous hollow cavities known as vesicles. Hydrothermal fluids circulating through the host rock over time deposited secondary zeolite minerals inside these voids. Local quarrying for road aggregate and construction stone exposed these mineralized pockets, initiating a thriving history of specimen collecting in the district. Stilbite occurs abundantly here in striking sheaf-like, fan-shaped, and bowtie-shaped crystal aggregations with a distinctive pearly luster. Displaying translucent white, peach, and salmon-pink hues, these stilbite specimens are frequently associated with apophyllite and other zeolites, making the area internationally famous among mineral collectors.

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