Authigenic heulandite in the Prospect Formation, western Southland, New Zealand

Abstract

Heulandite occurs as an authigenic precipitate of minute idiomorphic crystals encrusting quartzofeldspathic framework grains in the Pliocene Mt York Member of the Prospect Formation, Te Anau Basin, western Southland. This upper part of the formation has been buried no deeper than 500–1000 m, and has been subjected to temperatures of no more than a few tens of degrees.

Keywords:

• heulandite
• zeolite
• Prospect Formation
• diagenesis
• Southland
• Pliocene