Description
Thomsonite is the name for a small group of tectosilicates from the zeolite group. Before 1997, thomsonite was a single mineral type, but after a reclassification, it became clear that the mineral can occur as two varieties: thomsonite-Ca and thomsonite-Sr. The former is the most common, the latter less common in the earth's crust.
Zeolites are minerals belonging to the tectosilicate family. Natural zeolites can contain a large amount of water. When heated, this water boils out, hence the name "zeolite," from the Greek "zein," meaning "to boil," and "lithos," meaning "stone." There are approximately fifty natural zeolites and more than a hundred artificial zeolites. Common natural zeolites include natrolite, heulandite, and stilbite. Artificial zeolites are used in detergents and catalysis, among other applications. Natural zeolites are less expensive than synthetic zeolites but unsuitable for high-quality applications because they contain impurities. Natural zeolites are used, among other things, as absorbent material in cat litter.
