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Stilbite

• Stilbite was declared the provincial mineral in November 1999.
• Stilbite is a variety of zeolite, mined mainly on the west coast of North America.
• Nova Scotia has an abundance of the mineral, found in the Annapolis Valley region along the Bay of Fundy.
• The mineral is composed of silica, sodium, potassium, aluminum and other elements.
• Although it appears solid, it is actually a small honeycomb of pores.
• Zeolites, including stilbite, can absorb up to 30 per cent of their dry weight in gasses and 90 per cent in hydrocarbons.
• This allows the mineral to be used in oil spill clean-ups and in other industrial processes because of its ability to absorb odour and suppressants.
• Another capability of stilbite is the ability to attract calcium and magnesium so that it can be used in water softening.