Chabazite (var. Phacolite)

Name: Chabazite (var. Phacolite)
SKU: 33568-PT
Availability: InStock

33568-PT Category: Australia - Various Species and Localities Tag: Twin

Gads Hill, Upper Mersey Valley, Meander Valley municipality, Tasmania

Australia

Dimensions: 8.1x4.8x3.1 cm

Largest crystal size: 5 mm

Price: CA

$210.00

This specimen showcases the classic "Phacolite"-twinned chabazite from Gads Hill, Australia. It features numerous sharp, lustrous, and gemmy colourless rhombic crystals scattered across a grey matrix, with the largest crystal measuring 4 mm. Phacolite, a lens-shaped variety of chabazite, forms due to twinning or multiple twinning of rhombohedral crystals. The specimen shows a bit of bruising here and there on some of the outermost crystals.

This is an excellent addition for zeolite collectors or those specializing in Australian minerals, as quality examples from this locality are becoming increasingly scarce. Tertiary basalts outcrop extensively in the Gads Hill area, in northwest Tasmania. While there are two well-known collecting sites, additional specimens can still be found with careful searching. Road cuts through the basalt expose large vesicles containing abundant zeolites.

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This specimen comes from the collection of Dr. Peter Tarassoff, a prominent figure in mineralogy, particularly known for his work at Mont Saint-Hilaire (MSH). His diligent collecting and examination efforts have led him to be the first to identify at least 35 species and discover 12 new species, not only at MSH but also at other alkaline localities. Dubbed the "Dean" of Mont Saint-Hilaire collectors, Peter was honoured with the naming of the new species petarasite in 1980. He has authored or co-authored numerous mineralogical articles and has been a member of the Mineralogical Association of Canada since 1964. Additionally, Peter has volunteered at the Redpath Museum for the past 21 years, where he was formally appointed the Honorary Curator of Mineralogy. In recognition of his significant contributions to mineralogy, Peter was awarded the 2017 Pinch Medal by the Mineralogical Association of Canada. All specimens from this collection come with the original P. Tarassoff collection label.

Note: All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD). International customers are charged in CAD, exchange rate is calculated automatically by your bank/paypal upon checkout.

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