Minerals of Scotland

ISLE of SKYE

Mineral Photo Gallery
ZEOLITES - PART 2

ISLE OF SKYE
Mineral Photo Gallery - ZEOLITES - PART 2

including photographs of
Laumontite - Thomsonite - Stellerite - Mordenite - Stilbite - Natrolite - Phillipsite

The photographs depict typical, representative examples
and may be found helpful for identification purposes.

ISLE of SKYE

Skye Main Page

Mineral Photo Galleries

analcime - chabazite - cowlesite - erionite - heulandite

laumontite - stilbite - mordenite - natrolite - thomsonite - stellerite

apophyllite - gyrolite - offretite - levyne - mesolite

calcite - Skye marble - prehnite - talc - quartz- clinohumite - zircon

ISLE of SKYE
Location Photo Galleries

Moonen Bay

Talisker Bay

Sgurr nam Boc

The Quiraing, Edinbane

The Storr, Oisgill Bay

Sgurr nam Cearcall,
Sgurr nam Fiadh

SITE LINKS

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Links page

LAUMONTITE - Moonen Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye. - Crystals to 5 mms.

Laumontite

Though fairly common, special care and preparation is necessary to preserve specimens
as a result of the species' dessicatory nature.

Thomsonite

Thomsonite is fairly common on the Isle of Skye with Moonen Bay, Talisker Bay and The Quiraing yielding interesting examples.

Thomsonite varies in habit with bladed crystals, spherulites, radial crystal groups and rich coatings of small crystals prevailing.

Stilbite

Stilbite is one of the most common zeolites encountered on Skye.

The recent finds at Sgurr nam Boc & Sgurr nam Fiadh probably include the best specimens to be recovered from the island.

They also compare favourably with examples from the Deccan region of India - renowned for superb zeolite specimens.

Stellerite

Stellerite is found at a number of localities on Skye but Edinbane is perhaps the most well-known occurence.

Since it can only be distinguished from the identical stilbite by chemical analysis, it may perhaps be more common than presumed.

LAUMONTITE - Moonen Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye.
A bi-terminated crystal to 4mms, with analcime & mesolite.

LAUMONTITE - Moonen Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye.
Sprays of crystals to 5mms.

THOMSONITE - The Quiraing, Trotternish, Isle of Skye.
Radiating, crystal sprays to c 3mms on analcime.

THOMSONITE - Moonen Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye.
Spherulitic, fan-like group of crystals with chabazite.

STELLERITE - Black Hill, Edinbane, Isle of Skye.

above - large plate of crystals
leftt - wheatsheaf group to 1cm.

STILBITE - Sgurr nam Boc, Eynort, Isle of Skye.

above - a 30mms bow-tie crystal development of stilbite sheaves.
left - bladed aggregates and tightly packed, sheaf-like balls.
(spec: c. 85x65mms).

Natrolite

Natrolite is less prevalent on Skye than other, similar zeolite species of an acicular habit, particularly, mesolite.

Talisker Bay and Moonen Bay are two sites where it may be found. Natrolite generally appears glassier than mesolite.

Nevertheless, more scientific methods are necessary for its verification.

right: NATROLITE - Oisgill Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye.
A spray of crystals to c 6mms.

Mordenite

Mordenite is difficult to determine from other acicular species without professional equipment.

However, it is found on the Isle of Skye, more recently at Sgurr nam Boc.

Also found, but not featured is garronite. It is normally massive.

Though, untested, one stilbite locality could prove instead to be an occurence of barrerite.

PHILLIPSITE - Moonen Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye. Crystals to 2mms as intergrown groups.

PHILLIPSITE - Moonen Bay, Duirinish, Isle of Skye. Crystals to 2mms as intergrown groups.

MORDENITE - Sgurr nam Boc, Eynort, Isle of Skye.
Delicate, acicular crystals with tiny quartz crystals attached to their terminations. (view c 10x7mms).

Phillipsite

Uncommon, phillipsite is normally the sole occupant of vesicles, though occasionally, chabazite and analcime are minor associates. Phillipsite from Moonen Bay is a Barium-rich variety.

© Minerals of Scotland - 2010