Chabazite-Na with Herschelite

specimen number:
2062892

location:
Palagonia, Catania, Sicily, Italy

description:
Colorless pseudo-cubic crystals of chabazite-Na in smaller crystals of colorless herschelite in an open pocket within matrix. This is in good condition. The specimen comes with an antique box, this with an old label from the Foote Mineral Company in Philadelphia glued to the bottom.

Palagonia, located in the Catania province of Sicily, Italy, is characterized by extensive volcanic and basaltic rock formations where post-volcanic and low-temperature alteration processes filled cavities with various silicate minerals. Historically collected by geologists and mineral enthusiasts, the area became famous for yielding pristine specimens of the zeolite group, notably classic rhombohedral crystals of chabazite as well as the historic variety formerly known as herschelite (now recognized as sodium-rich chabazite). These unique cavity fillings formed as alkaline solutions interacted with surrounding volcanic tuffs and basaltic vesicles over geologic time.

The Foote Mineral Company, originally established by Dr. Albert Edward Foote in Philadelphia during the mid-1870s, played a monumental role in nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century mineralogy by supplying high-quality specimens to museums, universities, and private collectors worldwide. Known initially for rare scientific books and carefully cataloged mineral collections, the firm was instrumental in distributing classic European specimens—including those from Italian localities like Sicily—to American academic markets. An old Foote label accompanying a specimen serves as a hallmark of historical provenance, connecting the piece directly to one of the most influential natural history dealerships in early American science.

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