Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 January 2013
About the end of the year 1821, when I was engaged in the examination of the Family of the Zeolites, Mr Heuland was so obliging as to send me a variety of Stilbite from a Calamine mine at Altenberg near Aix-la-Chapelle. Upon comparing its optical structure with that of the Stilbites, it was manifest that it had no connection with this class of crystals, and that it constituted a new mineral species. Upon mentioning this result to Mr Brooke, this acute mineralogist was of opinion that it was the Silicate of Zinc. Mr Heuland had been led to regard this substance as a Stilbite, in consequence of having received it as such from Major Petersen; but, particularly, from finding in the collection of Mr C. H. Turner, a single crystal of the same substance attached to Carbonate of Zinc, and bearing the annexed figure, with an inscription in the handwriting of the Abbé Hauy, stating it to be a new variety of Stilbite, to which he gave the name of Stilbite Duovigesimale.
page 107 note * Attached to this figure is the following memorandum in Hauy's handwriting: La position de cette figure est en rapport avec celle du noyau dans les planches du Traité.
page 109 note * I have been indebted for this crystallographic description of the mineral to Mr Haidinger.
page 110 note * This examination of the mineral with the blowpipe was made for me by M. Nordenskjold, an able chemist from Abo, during his visit to Edinburgh.
page 110 note † With all the siliceo-carbonates of zinc, when melted with salt of phosphorus, in such a quantity that the glass turns opaque in cooling, a very perceptible ring of oxide of zinc is condensed on the charcoal.