ZEOLITES from Poona, India
The person from whom I bought these absolute beauties, states:
"WOW!! What a find! we stumbled on 30 flats of POONA INDIA zeolites from the MAHARASHTRA state in an old import warehouse. Import tag dated Sept. 1969. Specimens were boxed individually in flats, meaning these were high quality mineral export. We observed on these fine specimens no damage to crystals. Only imperfection on most was on the basal areas. Some are so unique that they should in a museum. as a mineralogist, off & on for 25 years this is some of the "neatest" stuff that I've acquired. The shipping boxes were so old that they had yellowed & were falling apart. The warehouse didn't even have record of these on inventory! "
I didn't need convincing. In any case, they are very beautiful regardless of perfections or anything else. What's more I have the boxes, complete with Indian newspaper bits!
Gem crystal apophyllite. This ones like a cluster of diamonds. Gemmy apophyllites in all sizes. This cluster was attached to a black stalactite on the base.
Apophyllite & Heulandite on Natrolite. A large flat Terminated white apophyllite crystal,a 1" sheaf of white Heulandite rest on quartz druzed over natrolite. Host rock is green amygdaloidal basalt.
This is an absolutely FANTASTIC specimen. The matrix alone is just wonderful. I wish I could've got the colours right on the matrix pictures. It should be as the first picture - green - with the minerals more cream than white.
Here's an unusual shade of a salmon pink stibite cluster growing on a dark brown mixed heulandite/basalt base.
Heulandite
Natrolite
(complete with pronouciations! :))
See also Apophyllite and Stilbite