Rocksday

Sepiolite

A soft, porous clay mineral that's light enough to float when dry. It's carved into meerschaum pipes.

Sepiolite specimen
Photo: Shannon Heinle, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify sepiolite

  • White to cream, chalky and very light.
  • Sticks to the tongue.
  • Easily carved with a knife.

Often confused with

Where it's found

  • Eskişehir, Turkey
  • Spain
  • Tanzania

Uses

Meerschaum pipes and absorbents such as cat litter.

Rock tumbling

Not suitable for tumbling.

Did you know?

'Meerschaum' is German for 'sea foam' — dry pieces float on water.

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