Detailed Description

A plate of stilbite fans with sparkling analcime crystals perched all over them. The stilbite fans are nicely developed and there is some separation between them. The analcime crystals are sharp and lustrous, translucent to transparent. They are colourless, and some show golden and pink hues from the underlying stilbite and some minor associated gmelinite. In very good condition – incomplete around the edges where this was removed from surrounding rock, and a couple of imperfections that don’t stand out. A pretty piece.

About the Minerals and Localities of the Bay of Fundy (click here)

About These Stilbite-Analcime Specimens from Five Islands

Occasionally over the years, good finds have been made at Five Islands. These have included natrolite, analcime and stilbite, as well as the famous gmelinite-after-chabazite from Pinnacle Island. The specimens from this stilbite-analcime find are beautiful and distinctive, combining the two minerals.

The stilbite crystal groups can vary in hue from one specimen to the next, and it should be noted that the stilbite hues also vary under different sources of lighting – they are richest under halogen lights, less so under cool LED. As with all specimens on the website, the photographs are colour-balanced to daylight.

The vein-pocket zone where these specimens were collected was located in a precarious area, beneath an unstable-looking cliff face. Fortunately it was safe enough to excavate the zone, resulting in these beautiful specimens.