Stilbite
Stilbite is a series of zeolites, either calcium rich Stilbite-Ca, sodium rich Stilbite-Na, or
the potassium rich Stilbite-K (unknown in Nature, and not described as a mineral) and
you will need a thorough chemical analysis to determine the composition of a given
specimen. We will generally refer to 'Stilbite' unless we happen to have a firm
indication material from a given locality is indeed either Ca- or Na-dominant. Note, that
with Stilbite as well as other zeolites 'alien' ions may occur and sometimes dominate,
though this has not been described as a valid mineral species. Tschernich (1992) quotes
Passaglia et al. (1978) for identifying individual samples of Stilbite from Skookumchuck
Dam (Bucoda, Thurston Co., Washington, USA), Poona and Nasik (Maharashtra, India),
Paterson (New Jersey, USA), and Ogilvie Wharf (Nova Scotia, Canada) as Stilbite-Ca,
whereas a specimen from the Faeroe Islands (Denmark) is Stilbite-Na.
Stilbite is often found as sheaf-like bow-tie crystals, supposedly forming because the
terminal faces grow more rapidly than the prisms. Particularly in older literature,
Stilbite was often distinguished from Stellerite and Barrerite based on the habit - Stilbite
forming sheaves, the others forming single crystals. This is not a valid method of
distinction, corresponding to our current definition of the species, as Stilbite may form
well-shaped single crystal blades, and Barrererite form sheaves.
Our records indicate that Stilbite from a range of deposits occurs on specimens that also
carry one or more of the following minerals: Albite, Analcime, Apophyllite, Aragonite,
Biotite, Calcite, Cavansite, Celadonite, Chabazite, Chalcopyrite, Chamosite var. Mg-
Chamosite, Clinoptilolite, Datolite, Epidote, Ferrierite, Fluorite, Goosecreekite,
Gyrolite, Hematite, Heulandite, Laumontite, Magnetite, Mesolite, Montmorillonite,
Muscovite, Natrolite, Opal, Orthoclase, Prehnite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrite, Quartz, Scolecite,
Tennantite, Thaumasite, Thomsonite, and Tremolite var. Byssolite.
Specimen Handling
Stilbite is for all practical purposes stable in a normal household environment. It is not
harmed by light, changes in temperature in the normal comfort range, or known to
decompose. Stilbite specimens can be fragile and should be handled with care like any
other mineral specimen. Stilbite is not appreciably soluble in water.
Bibliography
Anthony, John Williams, Richard A. Bideaux, Kenneth W. Bladh & Monte C.
Nichols. 1995. Handbook of mineralogy, vol. 2.2
Birch W.D. 1989. Zeolites of Victoria. The Mineralogical Society of Victoria.
Inc. Special Publication 2.
Blackburn, William H. & William H. Dennen. 1997. Encyclopedia of mineral
names. Canadian Mineralogist, special publication 1.
Coombs, Douglas S. et al. 1997. Canadian Mineralogist, 35, 1571-1606
Gaines, Richard W., H. Catherine W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason,
Abraham Rosenzweig & Vandall T. King. 1997. Dana's new mineralogy: the
system of mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, 8th
ed.
Hintze, Carl (ed.) 1889-1897. Handbuch der Mineralogie, vol. 2.
Mandarino, Joseph A. 1999. The zeolite group. Mineralogical Record, 30(1-2), 5-
6
Noe-Nygaard, Arne. 1966. Mineralogi, 3rd ed.
Passaglia, E., E. Galli, L. Leoni & G. Rossi. 1978. The crystal chemistry of
Stilbite and Stellerites. Bulletin de Mineralogie, 101, 368-375.
Ramdohr, Paul & Hugo Strunz. 1980. Klockmann's Lehrbuch der Mineralogie,
16th ed.
Roberts, Willard Lincoln, Thomas J. Campbell & George Robert Rapp jr. 1990.
Encyclopedia of Minerals 2nd ed.
Scalisi, Philip & David Cook. 1983. Classic mineral localities of the world: Asia
and Australia
Sinkankas, John. 1964. Mineralogy.
Tschernich, Rudy W. 1992. Zeolites of the world.
This page is authored by Claus Hedegaard.
