Scolecite is a zeolite: white, silky needles that grow in sprays inside volcanic rock, mostly in India. It is a collector's mineral and is rarely made into beads.
Silicate (zeolite group)
Scolecite
Escolecita
- Palette
- White Clear
- Mined in
- India, Iceland, Germany, Brazil, United Kingdom, United States
- Hardness
- Mohs 5.0–5.5 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- 1813
- Named for
- Greek skolex, worm, from how it curls in a flame
- Also sold as
- poonahlite, zeolite (scolecite)
- Intention
- Calm
- Looking for
- Rest and meditation Letting go
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Scolecite is a natural mineral sold as raw clusters and is not usually dyed or heated. No beads or finish are described for it, so ask the seller what a piece is.
Not in our pieces now
WORM
Scolecite is named for the Greek word for worm, because in a blowpipe flame it curls up like one.
KAISERSTUHL
Scolecite was first described in 1813 from the Kaiserstuhl in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, though the finest crystals later came from India.
BERUFJÖRÐUR
Fine scolecite also comes from Berufjörður near Djúpivogur in Iceland, far from its Indian homeland in the Deccan Traps.
What it is
White or colorless fine needles that grow in radiating, silky sprays and fibrous masses, with a glassy or silky shine. It is a zeolite, a soft collector mineral, and it is far more often sold as raw clusters and points than as beads.
Where it comes from
Most of the finest scolecite comes from the Deccan Traps basalts of Maharashtra, India (Nasik, Pune, Mumbai districts), with Iceland, Brazil, Switzerland, Italy and Washington State also named.
In history
Scolecite was described in 1813, and the world's finest specimens come from the Deccan basalt near Nasik and Pune in India. An older synonym, poonahlite, comes from Pune.
What's said about it
In crystal lore it is a stone for quiet sitting. One modern guide has a person lie down with it above the head and spend an hour with their thoughts.
It is soft and the needles are fragile, so people usually keep it on a shelf or in a meditation space rather than wearing it daily.
How people wear or keep it: Above the head when lying down, in a meditation space, or on a shelf.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, scolecite is paired with the crown chakra, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: above the head when lying down, in a meditation space, on a shelf. People reach for it when they want rest and meditation, letting go, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraCrown
ZodiacCapricorn
ElementAir
Also calledpoonahlite, zeolite (scolecite)
Care
- At Mohs 5 to 5.5 it is a soft stone that scratches on harder ones, so keep it apart from them.
- The needles are delicate and split along their length, so avoid knocks and pressure on points.
- Dust with a soft dry brush or cloth; do not soak it.
- Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners.
- Choose protected settings, such as a pendant, over a bracelet worn daily.
How to tell what you have
- Scolecite grows as fine white needles in radiating sprays, often with V-shaped tips. Natrolite and mesolite look almost the same and only a lab can separate them, so a seller's name is a guess.
Questions people ask at our table
What is scolecite?
A zeolite, which is a hydrated calcium aluminum silicate. It grows as white, needle-like crystals in cavities in volcanic rock.
Is it sold as beads?
Rarely. It is mostly a collector mineral sold as raw sprays and points. If a white bead strand is labeled scolecite, ask what it really is, since howlite and quartz are common white beads.
How is it different from selenite or apophyllite?
All three are soft, delicate collector minerals that grow in sprays or blades. Scolecite is the fibrous, silky one, at Mohs 5 to 5.5. Check each page for its own details.
Can I get it wet?
It is a soft, hydrated mineral with fragile needles, so keep it dry and dust it with a soft brush.
Where is it from?
The finest pieces are from India's Deccan Traps. It also occurs in Iceland, Germany, Brazil and the Isle of Skye.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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