![\"Small](\"http:\/\/wheretofindrocks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Cavansite-Type-Locality-580x319.png\")
Specimen of Cavansite from the first place it was found, in Oregon. Zeolite deposits found in volcanic deposits are well worth inspecting for rockhounding possibilities!<\/p><\/div>\n
Found in volcanic lava that has interacted with water, zeolites are beautiful minerals which are found in a huge diversity of different appearances. They are known to form where enormous volcanic events have occurred in the ancient past when lava flows into a body of water.<\/p>\n
The lava instantly chills, creating a unique bubbly, rounded texture called pillow basalt where within spaces between the rounded \u201cpillows\u201d grow delicate crystals of zeolites as steam chemically leaches the basalts and forms new minerals.<\/p>\n
Steam may rise through the molten lava as well, where the rock may solidify before it escapes. This type of rock is called a vesicular basalt. Many minerals tend to form in the \u201cbubbles\u201d or vesicles in this type of rock.<\/p>\n
![\"Pillow](\"http:\/\/wheretofindrocks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pillow-580x348.jpg\")
A recently formed pillow basalt at the Galapagos Rift versus an ancient pillow basalt in the Bonin Islands, Japan. Zeolite minerals are found between the \u201clobes\u201d of the lava.
A vesicular basalt boulder. The holes are known as vesicles and represent where rising gasses got trapped in the rock. Minerals often form in these vesicles.)<\/p><\/div>\n
The Cape Lookout area is the remains of a volcanic island that emerged in the Miocene period, about 16 million years ago. Cracks in the earth formed, releasing lava into the sea which cooled on contact with the water, forming pillow basalts and bubbly vesicular basalts which further altered to form zeolite minerals in the pores.<\/p>\n
Many rare zeolites are found here, not the ones you would typically see in the large, flashy specimens from India many collectors love, but equally as beautiful if you can appreciate tiny things. Minerals you may encounter are erionite, mordenite, clinoptilolite, and dachiardite. Often these are found with calcite and clay minerals, the latter can give specimens some nice color and visual depth.<\/p>\n
Specimens from this area are typically small, but absolutely stunning especially under magnification. A good, readily available microscope to view your microminerals with is the Dino-Lite, which you can attach to your computer via USB.<\/p>\n
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