Cordylite-(Ce) is a very rare mineral. While it is rare in the Saint-Amable sill as well, it can be (very) locally abundant, and this is probably the best place in the world to find it.

This is a very small specimen, but it has excellent crystals. Moreover, material from this find was confirmed as cordylite-(Ce) at two different research labs. One of the labs (IGEM, Moscow), also found that there are tabular inclusions of parisite-(Ce) in the near-surface layers (the whitish areas). Parisite-(Ce) is very rare in the Saint-Amable sill. In addition to the cordylite/parisite, there is a small patch of catapleiite.

In the first pair of photos (FOV 2.4 x 3.0 mm), the cordylite/parisite spans a bit < 2 mm. In this habit, which is fairly typical here, the crystals can, and have been, mistaken for catapleiite - even by experienced mineralogists! But they fizz in HCl. In this case, they leave behind a pale gray residue – probably the parisite-(Ce), which is insoluble.

The second pair of photos (FOV 3.2 x 2.4 mm) is a close-up of the other side of the cordylite/parisite.

The third pair of photos (FOV 6.7 x 4.1 mm) is a broader view showing the cordylite/pariste on the right. To the left is a bit of rhodochrosite and to the left of that is catapleiite in the form of  tiny, pearly gray, plates which don’t look very much like catapleiite from other localities. Catapleiite is actually quite rare in the miarolitic cavities here. (It is more common in the contact zone, where it looks like “typical” catapleiite.)  Other minerals in the photo include green aegirine, and platy gray microcline.

Single item shipping weight (with MM case) is 2.9 oz (82 g). For shipments outside the USA, up to a total weight < 8 oz (225g), this can be combined with items from this or other auctions for the same postage.

Within the USA, postage for total weights up to 13 oz ranges from $4.25 to $6.50 (including packing etc) regardless of destination. Above 13 oz, I will use “own box” Priority Mail. The rate, including packing, varies by destination from $7.25 to $9.50.

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