Edingtonite, Natrolite, Calcite, Jacupirangite

This exceptional specimen from the renowned Jacupiranga Mine in Brazil features colorless, pseudocubic microcrystals of the rare zeolite mineral edingtonite. Edingtonite is seldom found worldwide, with the Jacupiranga Mine being the only reported locality for the species in Brazil. This piece showcases the sharp, orthorhombic edingtonite crystals perched atop  white natrolite on the matrix.

The Jacupiranga Mine is a carbonatite-hosted apatite deposit in southern Brazil, known for its world-class carbonatite formations. While primarily an apatite producer, the mine also recovers calcite as a by-product for the cement industry. Specimens of edingtonite from this locality are rarely seen on the market, making this an outstanding example from a historically significant Brazilian deposit.

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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.