Melanophlogite

📍Fortullino, Rosignano Marittimo, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy
Dimensions: 44 / 41 / 25 mm

This is a melanophlogite specimen from Fortullino, Tuscany, Italy — a classic yet very uncommon locality. Several colorless, transparent, and highly lustrous spherical melanophlogite crystals are delicately scattered across the matrix, resembling tiny dew drops. One sphere in particular stands out for its pearl-like shape and smooth, rounded surface — an unusual and rarely seen crystal form.

Melanophlogite is a rare silica mineral with a cage-like crystal structure that can enclose gas molecules such as CO₂. The Fortullino occurrence is especially notable because the mineral formed in low-temperature, CO₂-rich fluids within fractures of carbonated serpentinite — a geologically unique environment. Discovered only in 1972, this locality remains one of the few places in the world where melanophlogite has been found, making this a highly desirable and scientifically significant specimen.