SCAPOLITE
Specimen sca-6

Dims: 2.5" x 0.9" x 0.6" (6.4 x 2.3 x 1.5 cm)

Wt: 1.28 oz. (36.4 g)

Itaquassu, Esprito Santo, Brazil

This Scapolite specimen consists of a single crystal that possesses a partially complete domed termination. Its crystalline form is evident but very indistinct, so that one cannot really see its correspondence to the tetragonal system. Its luster is unusual in that the most exposed surfaces of its prism faces show a duller, almost pearly luster than the pits and pockmarks inherent in its form, which show a bright, vitreous luster. The termination shows considerable wear and a few spots seem to have almost conchoidal tendencies. The other end shows a breakage surface that has undergone obvious partial healing, and has an almost botryoidal texture to it (see the close-up image). The crystal has a pale yellow coloration and is transparent, but its heavily-striated and irregular faces make determination of its clarity very difficult. It does appear to contain many small, dark inclusions, though.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.4 x 0.4" (1.8 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 12.4 g w/ specimen box

Tanzania

A single Scapolite crystal comprises this specimen. It is in near-perfect condition, showing no visible damage, and has excellent though odd tetragonal prismatic form. The crystal actually looks a bit like apatite, as it appears to have 9 detectable prism faces. Its four-sided pyramidal termination also appears to be three-sided upon first glance, as one face is extremely small. All edges are well-defined, however, and all faces are clean, though the prism faces are heavily striated. It has a moderately pale yellow coloration and a pearly luster, and is transparent and mostly quite clear; several small internal fractures are concentrated around its base, however. There is no host rock of any sort present, and the crystal is affixed inside a plastic specimen box with a hot-glue. One could conceivably cut a stone out of this crystal, though it makes a wonderful specimen.

Dims: 1.8 x 0.1 x 0.1" (4.6 x 0.3 x 0.3 cm)

Wt: 9.6 g w/ specimen box

Tremorgio, Switzerland

This specimen represents one of only a few pieces that we have from Switzerland. It consists of a single Scapolite crystal that is in excellent condition and has good tetragonal prismatic form that is almost needle-like. Its edges are moderately well-defined, its faces are striated but clean, and its termination is flat and basal-oriented- it may be the result of breakage that partly healed over. The crystal has a very subtle pale yellow coloration and a pearly luster, and is transparent and very clear. There is no host rock present, and it is hot-glued into a plastic specimen box.

Dims: 4.6 x 3.6 x 1.9" (11.7 x 9.1 x 4.8 cm)

Wt: 1 lb., 5.5 oz. (610 g)

Lady Smith Quarry, Bancroft, Ontario, Canada

This small cabinet specimen is made up mostly of massive Scapolite, a mineral also known as Wernerite. It is distinguishable as a dull, pale yellow massive material in the piece, but is easily visible when put under longwave UV light, as it glows a bright yellow. It appears to have some crystalline tendencies but shows no definite form, and has a pearly luster.

Dims: 3.8 x 2.1 x 2.1" (9.6 x 5.3 x 5.3 cm)

Wt: 8.7 oz. (246 g)

Lady Smith Quarry, Bancroft, Ontario, Canada

This hand-sized, massive Scapolite (aka Wernerite) piece shows some visible crystalline tendencies, but no actual form. It has a dull white color with a hint of gray and a pearly luster, and is opaque. When viewed under longwave UV light, however, it glows with a bright yellow coloration.

Dims: 2.1 x 1.1 x 0.8" (5.4 x 2.9 x 2.1 cm)

Wt: 1.38 oz. (39.2 g)

Lady Smith Quarry, Bancroft, Ontario, Canada

I think that this small hand specimen of massive Scapolite (aka Wernerite) strongly resembles some feldspar pieces that I have seen- it appears to have a warped crystal form and has a dull cream coloration and some possible rust-staining. Its luster is waxy at best, and it is completely opaque. Portions of it glow a bright yellow under longwave ultraviolet light, however, betraying its true identity.

Dims: 0.8 x 0.4 x 0.4" (2.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 cm)

Wt: 4 g

Tanzania

This thumbnail piece consists of a single, loose Scapolite crystal that is in excellent condition, showing no damage. Its tetragonal prismatic form is also extremely good, and it is capped with a shallow pyramid that is quite off-center. Its pale yellow color, vitreous luster are standard for the locality, and its high transparence is marred slightly by a few inclusions and internal fractures.

Dims: 0.9 x 0.3 x 0.3" (2.2 x 0.8 x 0.7 cm)

Wt: 2 g

Tanzania

This loose Scapolite shows almost no damage and has an excellent tetragonal prismatic form with a shallow pyramidal termination. It is extremely clear- only a few very small inclusions are present near its base- and it has a pale yellow color and a pearly-to-vitreous luster.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.4 x 0.3" (1.9 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 3 g

Tanzania

This single, loose Scapolite crystal is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and has equally excellent tetragonal prismatic form capped with a shallow pyramid. It has a pale yellow color and vitreous luster, and is transparent and very clear, containing only a few small, shallow internal fractures.

Dims: 2.55x0.46x0.35" (6.48x1.18x0.88cm)

Wt: 0.44oz (12.5g)

Lavra da Laranja, Aracruz, Espirito Santo, Brazil

This is a scapolite crystal from an area in Brazil that has produced many such crystals. Superficially, it has a pale yellow color, deep striations, and a surface texture (or coating) that renders the crystal translucent. Examination with a loupe reveals that the coating is restricted to the surface and that the interior is highly transparent. Indeed, the crystal looks a lot like a yellow spodumene, in that it has the surface texture and crystal terminations common in kunzite crystals, and it is colorless from the side, but very yellow when viewed along the crystal axis (it appears strongly pleochroic). So, is it scapolite (as identified by the mine), or possibly a rare yellow spodumene?

Dims: 0.75x0.57x0.45" (1.90x1.44x1.15cm)

Wt: 24.5ct (4.9g)

Dodoma, Tanzania

This is a prismatic crystal of yellow, transparent scapolite. It has a somewhat distorted and unusual appearance, in that the octahedral cross section is incomplete (one face is tiny, another is missing) showing just six sides, and the roof termination is offset - none of the roof edges line up with a face edge. There are barely perceptible striations on the crystal's sides, and the termination has a strong growth pattern which hints of striations and results in a dull luster (the sides are vitreous). There are both black and orange inclusions. There is no significant damage, other than to the base where the crystal was separated from its host rock.

Dims: 0.66x0.48x0.37" (1.68x1.22x0.93cm)

Wt: 16.1ct (3.22g)

Dodoma, Tanzania

This scapolite crystal is a characteristic pale yellow, transparent, and vitreous except for the termination which has a dull appearance. The crystal is prismatic with a distorted cross section: it is a rectangle with each corner flattened to make it eight sided, but one of the corners is drastically flattened to the point that one of the sides has only a minute presence. The termination is roof-shaped. The crystal's sides show mild striations and a little damage and intergrowth with the host matrix.