Home > American Minerals II – April 7 > MS1557 Clinoptilolite

Clinoptilolite - Sold


Clinoptilolite is a hydrated aluminosilicate, and a member of the zeolite group (Coombs et al., 1997). The mineral name denotes its inclined extinction and chemical similarity to ptilolite, an obsolete name for mordenite. Schaller(1923) announced the new mineral, later following up with a full description (Schaller, 1932). This sample has not been analyzed to determine its dominant cation; it may be sodium or calcium dominant (-Na or -Ca).

Clinoptilolite here forms tabular crystals to 2 mm on basalt matrix. These specimen is an igneous amygdule, formed by infilling a solidified gas bubble in volcanic rock. This is one major mechanism for geode formation. Collected by Russell Boggs, mineralogist and collector in Washingston state. Dr. Boggs indicated that he first identified the species at this locality in Oregon.