Canasite (extremely rare) (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Item Description

Canasite is a very rare silicate, which is named for it composition, containing CAlcium, sodium (Latin NAtrium), and SIlicon. Virtually all known localities for the species are in Russia. This particular piece features minor gray Canasite which is sitting on purple Charoite matrix with a "spray" of greenish-black Aegirine. A TINY bit of orange Tinaksite can be seen on the side. The label states that the matrix is Quartz for some reason, but it is obviously a fairly old specimen since the locality states that it is in the USSR. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#8440). Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Velt" November-December 2017).