FLUORAPOPHYLLITE-(K) with Stilbite

Unknown Owner

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This beautiful cabinet-size display specimen of zeolites from Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil is from a fascinating occurrence, made during the construction of a railroad tunnel in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Reputedly, construction workers driving the Das Antas Tunnel discovered pockets of zeolites and sold them to Mr. Eugênio Giovanella who sold them around the world. The aesthetics of this wonderful piece are stunning, with sharp bipyramidal Fluorapophyllite-(K) crystals forming flower-like sprays of an unusually fine pale mint-green colour and pearlescent lustre with small individual cream coloured bladed Stilbite crystals in association. It is so unusual to see this material available and even rarer to find specimens with such quality as this one.