A sizable pentagonite "christmas tree" on matrix. There are a couple sheared branches, but this is fairly typical.
The area where these are found is a large quarry complex on the outskirts of Poona. Pentgonite and Cavansite are found in only a couple quarries in this area; prior to 2000 cavansite was considered extremely rare, and until about 2006, the same was true of Pentagonite. As quarrying progressed and the workings ebtered new zones, more specimens were found.
At this time however, the quarries that produced the best specimens have either been bought by developers or have reached the water table... In other words, the cheap cavansites and pentagonites that we have all grown accustomed to will probably not last for too many more years-- and this one is better than most.
A cabinet specimen of helvite on albite, from the same mine that produced the spectacular hoppered red spessartines. Both finds occurred around mid 2004.
There are actually a few scraps of red garnet on this piece as well, but the the focus of this piece is the helvite. It is unusually large and rich by the standards of the find. These days you are far more likely to see helvite fromthe various Chinese helvites (Tongbei, Jinlong, Huanggang) but this is an interesting example from 10 years ago.
The yellow overgrowth is likely a subsequent generation of another helvite group mineral.
A rare cabinet specimen of orange Persian mimetite, from an old US collection.
Although this locality does produce brighter orange specimens, this is far deeper color than anything from Mexico-- including the old San Pedro Corralitos pieces.
A cluster of elegantly reticulated Persian cerussite from an old US collection.
A rich specimen of goosecreekite, with a group of relatively large white sprays positioned across the specimen. There is also a doubly terminated heulandite crystal on the upper right of the piece.
Along with yugawaralite, goosecreekite is considered to be one of the rarer zeolites from the Deccan traps.