Judging quality
Slender square-section needles in radiating clusters; scolecite is monoclinic and typically forms flatter, more silky sprays.
Zeolite
Natrolite
Needle-sharp radiating sprays of sodium zeolite, often clear enough to facet in small stones. It is the matrix mineral that hosts benitoite in California.
Care
Needles snap at a touch. Keep cased and dust with air only.
History & lore
Named in 1803 for its sodium content — the first mineral named for its chemistry rather than its appearance or locality.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Natrolite
- What is Natrolite?
- Needle-sharp radiating sprays of sodium zeolite, often clear enough to facet in small stones. It is the matrix mineral that hosts benitoite in California.
- How hard is Natrolite and what is it made of?
- Natrolite is a Zeolite-family mineral with the composition Na2Al2Si3O10·2H2O. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and rates 5-5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in white, colorless, cream.
- Where does Natrolite come from?
- Notable localities for Natrolite include Maharashtra, India, Russia (Kola), New Jersey, USA, Czech Republic.
- How do you tell good Natrolite from filler?
- Slender square-section needles in radiating clusters; scolecite is monoclinic and typically forms flatter, more silky sprays.
- How do you care for Natrolite?
- Needles snap at a touch. Keep cased and dust with air only.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.