The facts
What stilbite actually is
Stilbite is classified as stilbite-Ca (zeolite group), with the composition NaCa₄Al₉Si₂₇O₇₂·28H₂O. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from peach to salmon-pink from trace iron; white and colourless material is common, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.484–1.513. Specific gravity around 2.10–2.20. Cleavage: perfect {010}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where stilbite comes from
Stilbite is produced at Jalgaon and Nashik, Maharashtra, India, Berufjord, Iceland, Paterson, New Jersey, USA and Isle of Skye, Scotland.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How stilbite is treated
Untreated. Too soft and cleavable for jewellery; a specimen mineral whose bow-tie and sheaf-like aggregates from the Deccan traps are the standard reference form.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What stilbite is confused with
In the trade stilbite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Heulandite, Barite, Calcite or Apophyllite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.484–1.513 and specific gravity 2.10–2.20 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What stilbite is used for
Demand for stilbite comes from mineral collecting and decorative objects, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen or by the piece.
Durability and care
Stilbite is 3.5–4 on the Mohs scale, with perfect {010} cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What stilbite costs
As a guide, stilbite trades around Specimen pricing.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is stilbite treated, and how?
Untreated. Too soft and cleavable for jewellery; a specimen mineral whose bow-tie and sheaf-like aggregates from the Deccan traps are the standard reference form.
Where does stilbite come from?
Jalgaon and Nashik, Maharashtra, India, Berufjord, Iceland, Paterson, New Jersey, USA and Isle of Skye, Scotland. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is stilbite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3.5–4 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does stilbite cost?
Indicatively Specimen pricing. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is stilbite confused with?
Most often Heulandite, Barite, Calcite and Apophyllite. A refractive index of 1.484–1.513 and a specific gravity near 2.10–2.20 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for stilbite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about stilbite