Prehnite with epidote tower

Approx height: 

A  3.5" - sits wobbly!
B  4" - a bit precarious due to hollow base!
C  3.75"
D  3.5"
E  3.5"

Alternately called points or obelisks, these towers are cut and polished from botryoidal prehnite pierced with dark needles of epidote. I prefer to pick towers with open cavities that reveal the mineral structure, and these points have excellent raw (natural, unpolished) edges and openings revealing the botryoidal formations. Option B also has exposed needles of epidote intersecting a cavity—often not preserved due to cutting and polishing techniques of these towers.

Prehnite and epidote commonly grow together because they have similar chemical requirements (both need calcium and aluminium, and often grow in hydrothermal environments). This is lower-quality material; high-quality prehnite is a brighter gemmy translucent material with more even lime-to-mint green color. This is a pretty typical form for epidote though, with slender needle-like crystals that are so dark green they appear black.

Surface imperfections: this material frequently has pits in the polished surface and abraded corners. This is because prehnite is a bit on the soft side and this material is a heavily included aggregate. Pits are a natural product of polishing, whereas abrasion results from improper storage (when pieces can knock or rub against each other).

Note: Towers like this are often cut haphazardly and may not stand straight. In images showing a right angle over the tower, the piece has been rotated to show the most off-square angle.