PREHNITE
Specimen pre-6
$ 40.00Dims: 1.3 x 1.2 x 1.0" (3.3 x 3.0 x 2.5 cm)
Wt: 1.52 oz. (43.1 g) w/ base
Jeffrey Mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada
Though they are warped, these are some of the most well-formed Prehnite crystals that I have seen. They are heavily intergrown and rest on a base made up of what appear to be dozens of tiny, intergrown grossular garnets. The orthorhombic prismatic form of the Prehnite is nearly impossible to define- though most of their edges are straight, they are also highly disseminated. Their faces are often curved or very subtly angled from each other as to give the illusion of a curve. All have a uniformly pale rusty orange coloration and a dull waxy luster that appears to be caused by a thin coating of a material that is possibly iron-bearing. A few grossular garnets that rested adjacent to the edge of the Prehnite cluster have been dislodged, allowing one to see some of the material inside- it appears to be colorless, transparent, and at least moderately clear. The host rock to which they are attached is made up of dozens of grossular garnets that do not exceed 0.1" (3 mm) in diameter. Many of them are broken, but those that are intact are in good condition, showing excellent dodecahedral form. All have a very subtle, pale pink coloration and are transparent and very clear. The specimen is hot-glued onto an acrylic base.