Escolecita
Escolecita is a mineral with formula CaAl₂Si₃O₁₀·3H₂O, in the Zeolitas group. This specimen comes from Fadarpur, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra, India and joined the Terrium collection in 2026.
Description
Fine transparent prismatic scolecite with yellow calcite crystals grown on it. All show fluorescence, and the larger calcite crystals, of distinctly rhombohedral habit, also show a localised internal phosphorescence visible for a few seconds.
About Escolecita
Scolecite is a hydrated calcium zeolite. It has an aluminosilicate framework with structural water in channels. A framework aluminosilicate is a rigid mineral skeleton made of silicon and aluminium that leaves internal voids where water and calcium reside. This is what distinguishes scolecite from a carbonate such as calcite, which lacks a framework and has a much more compact structure.
About the locality
Deccan basalts with volcanic cavities Scolecite crystallises in open cavities within Deccan basalt flows, from low-temperature hydrothermal fluids. In early stages, calcium zeolites form as well-defined prismatic or acicular crystals. In later stages, carbonates such as calcite precipitate, growing directly on the pre-existing crystals. Maharashtra yields much of the material for collections because of the abundance of accessible cavities generated during the major Deccan volcanic episodes, coeval with the end-Cretaceous impact event that marks the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0302
- Composition
- CaAl₂Si₃O₁₀·3H₂O
- Name
- Escolecita
- Group
- Zeolitas
- Category
- Estélites
- Associations
- calcita
- District / Municipality
- Fadarpur
- Province
- Aurangabad District
- Region
- Maharashtra
- Country
- India
- Size (cm)
- 4.8 x 0.9 x 0.6
- Weight
- 1.2 g
- Acquired
- 2026
- Etymology
- From the Greek skṓlēx, "worm", referring to the appearance of many fine elongated aggregates.
- Quality
- Buena
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Analcima — Australia
- Analcima — Australia
- Apofilita — India
- Calcita (Melada) — India
- Cavansita — India
- Calcedonia Estalactítica — India
- Calcedonia Estalactítica — India
- Calcedonia Estalactítica — India