Tacharanite
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Tacharanite is a calcium aluminium silicate hydrate mineral of general chemical formula Ca12Al2Si18O3336 with some resemblance to the calcium silicate hydrate mineral tobermorite. It is often found in
Globular, white tacharanite (diameter 2.5 mm) from Palagonia, Italy
Spherical, cream-coloured tacharanite on white Na-phillipsite (a mineral series of the zeolite group) from Palagonia, northern Iblean plateau, Sicily, Italy (field of view 1 cm).
Gyrolite
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Gyrolite, NaCa16O608·14H2O, is a rare silicate mineral belonging to the class of phyllosilicates. Gyrolite is also often associated with zeolites. It is most commonly found as spherical or radial form
Tacharanite
…because after the first X-rays photographic examination it was thought to be unstable when exposed to air and prone to decompose into tobermorite and gyrolite. The name tachanarite was inspired both by the nature of the supposed mineral behaviour and the wealth of folklore associated with the Isle of Skye…
Spherical colorless gyrolite crystals from Malad quarry, India
Spherical brown gyrolite crystals from Lonavala quarry, India