The first zeolite to be discovery was the stilbite, in 1756, for the work of a Swedish mineralogist, carrying out a study on this ore at the time still unknown, remarked as, subjected to heating on flame gave rise to a new process, known as intumescence. This process that occurs for many zeolite, makes you that, subject to heating give rise to a rapid removal of water that contain, so quick to give effect as visual under the impression that the ore itself is boiling.
Precisely by this behaviour was derived the name zeolite, from the Greek  zeo means boil lithos  means stone. 
The zeolite are a group of minerals that exist in the world. Its chemical composition varies enormously and consequently assume ownership different adsorption, ion exchange and retention molecular. The modern industrial applications require specific properties and then the bulk of zeolite used are often natural modified or manufactured completely synthetically.
Presenting a molecular structure crystalline, microporous, open, characterised by a massive internal surface, built by tetrahedra. The key feature of zeolite is precisely the presence of cavity and holes linked through channels, to form a genuine network.