Datolite

A sharp and elegant miniature specimen showing crystals of gemmy colourless datolite, displaying well-formed short prismatic crystals with a bright vitreous lustre. The crystals are clean and transparent, showing the typical morphology of the species with crisp edges and good definition.

This specimen comes from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, one of the world’s most important alkaline complexes and a prolific source of rare and well-crystallized minerals. Datolite, a member of the gadolinite group, is a calcium borosilicate that occurs in a variety of habits at the locality. Well-formed, crystals such as this are particularly desirable, making it a fine representative example from this classic Canadian occurrence.