APOPHYLLITE
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SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Apophyllite is hydrous calcium potassium fluorsilicate which is often found with a small amount of iron and nickel. The chemistry is KCa4Si8O20(F,OH).8H2O. It ranges in color from clear thru white, gray, greenish, yellowish and reddish. The streak is white. Hardness is from 4-1/2 to 5. The crystals of this mineral are Tetragonal, usually cubelike or tabular, square in cross section. They will often have a pearly luster on one side.
ENVIRONMENT: Apophyllite forms at low temperatures and is commonly found in cavities in basalt of volcanic rock, where it is associated with zeolites and prehnite.
OCCURRENCE: There are many outstanding localities in North America where apophyllite can be collected. Excellent glassy crystals occur with prehnite in the basalt in the Watchung Mts., Passaic Co., New Jersey, and the same association has recently been found in a diabase near Centreville, Fairfax Co. Virginia. Large glassy crystals have come from the copper mines on the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan.
NAME: The name comes from the Greek [apa], meaning 'off', and [phyllon], meaning 'leaf'. This refers to the fact that the mineral flakes apart when heated in a flame.
LEGEND, LORE, MAGICAL PROPERTIES and HEALING: I was unable to find anything in any of my sources for this mineral.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: This is not a mineral that I have in my collection, nor have I ever seen one in person. However, judging from the information and the photos in the Audubon book, I can think of 2 possible uses. The first would be as a "heart stone". This would be to regulate and strengthen the heartbeat. In conjunction with this, I can see it used as a stone for athletes, giving them stamina and strengthening the muscular structure. If the pearlesence of the stone was strong, I can also visualize it being used at the Transpersonal Point, in much the same manner as Moonstone.
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1. Scientific, Environment, Occurrence and Name are from (or paraphrased from) "The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals".
4. Personal Experience is from MY personal experience, journals and notebooks, by Tandika Star.
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