• Detail of a small clear quartz point in dark olive-green epidote, with epidote crystals in stacked and fanning formations
  • Detail of fanning epidote crystals around the small quartz point, with part of a radial mineral attached above.
  • The specimen covered with a dense layer of epidote crystals, with several small clear quartz crystals mixed in.
  • Full view of the specimen, roughly shaped like two lumpy rounded forms attached with a patch of light tan mineral.
  • Full view of the back of the specimen, rough green epidote aggregate with a patch of light brown matrix in the center.
  • Detail of the radial prehnite formation, an opaque cream colored partial sphere with a black mineral near the middle. There are good fans of epidote around it.
  • Detail of the black mineral in the prehnite, a small angular matte black crystal.
  • Detail of partial quartz crystals embedded in some rough epidote, with red-brown matrix and dark magnetite spots.
  • Detail of a well-formed quartz prism embedded in thick stacked, fanning epidote growth.
  • Detail of the small colorless quartz point with good fanning epidote formations above and to the right of it.
  • Scale image of the piece on a measuring mat, measuring a bit over two and a half inches long, and about an inch and a half wide.
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Epidote with quartz, partial radial prehnite

Epidote with quartz, partial radial prehnite

$24.00 USD
$24.00 USD
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Locale: Imilchil, Midelt Province, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

Approx dimensions: 2.5 x 1.5 x 1"

Approx weight: 113g

 

Epidote grows long slender prismatic crystals with saturated olive green color, though it can be more yellow, brown, or even so saturated it appears black. Radial growth forms are typical of the Imilchil region in Morocco. It’s common to find fans and bow-ties of epidote mixed in with individual crystals. This piece has thick epidote growth with crystals stacked parallel like a closed fan, with fully fanning crystals at edges. Epidote has a good luster which is apparent in the thicker crystal growth on the specimen.

The piece has several glassy clear well-formed (but small) colorless quartz crystals embedded in the epidote. Small dark spots are magnetite, and the light cream colored mineral is prehnite. Prehnite and epidote commonly grow together because they have similar chemical requirements (both need calcium and aluminium, and often grow in hydrothermal environments). This specimen has the remnants of a spherical formation, with a dark mineral (likely also magnetite) in the center.

UV reactivity: the epidote is non-reactive but the prehnite sphere glows a light golden yellow in 365nm UV light.

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