Prehnite

If you ask a rockhound to describe prehnite, one word sure to come up is “odd.” Partly this is because it grows in such a wide variety of habits. Often found with an unusually rounded surface, which itself makes it a bit odd for a mineral, you may also hear it described as elongated, bubbly, globular, encrusting, or, in even rarer cases, blocky or flattened. And while it can be made into pretty, translucent, apple green gemstones when cut, it’s almost a shame to tumble, cut, or shape this mineral, since how it appears in its raw state is what makes it a standout favorite of many rockhounds. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another mineral likened to so many different and random objects, from fingers and snake heads to wedges, grapes, bubbles, balls, and even helmets. Prehnite is not, in other words, your boring, consistent, everyday crystal. It seems rather to revel in its nonconforming eccentricities. If it’s coming up for you now, it’s likely encouraging you to find and flaunt your own inner randomness and eccentricities. And if you find yourself strangely drawn to this mineral, you may be a bit of an oddity yourself.