Blueberry Mountain Quarry, Woburn, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA

I am just curious, does this site still exist anymore, or has it all been built over? Can babingtonite (or any other collectible minerals) still be obtained from here? Where is the site located exactly? Thanks for any help in advance!

-Matthew

I collected the Blueberry Mountain Quarry in 1964. It wasn't hard to find 3mm well formed babingtonites on white prehnite at that time.

But no zipper linings. Just super hard diabase (?) that made specimen removal quite a challenge.

The quarry was (is?) about a mile and a half SE of the city center of Woburn. Just East of Garfield Street, South of Green Street.

At that time there was an imposing quarry face that would impede residential development. But who knows? Maybe Massachusets has a new generation of urban cliff dwellers.

Send me an SASE, and I will photocopy the relevant page from the 1963 edition of Mineral Guide to New England by Phillip Morrill.

Bart

I believe the area is now an industrial park, and, while not posted is off limits, is private property.
Best,
Joe

Thank you both for the quick response. I checked out the area on Google Maps and I am pretty sure I found the site. Large cliff face just behind an industrial park in proximity of the area Bart mentioned. Joe, just wondering, are you sure collecting is prohibited? Any way permission can be aquired?

-Matthew ><>

Matt, if you could find the owner and ask, I bet they'd let you in. almost always works. One day when the golf course was closed at Strickland, I got permission to go in for a half hour!

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!

Wowser! If you could get permission there, you probably could anywhere! I'll have to visit the area some time soon and try asking at one of the stores. Otherwise, looks like I'll have to take the 2hr. trek to shaft #10 in Hardwick if I want any babingtonite...

Hi Matt,

You could do worse - going to shaft #10 in Hardwick.

I went there about 15 years ago. It's a nice flat walk into the woods, and, as I recall, the waste pile sits next to a swampy area. It was sometime in the fall, so no bugs (and no people). Collecting was easy - just look for seams in the pink granite that have a black or greenish cast. The black is carpets of babingtonite crystals, often with epidote (the green). What's really neat is the fluorite you can find here - a lovely blue/purple, with octahedral form prominent - very striking when occurring with lustrous black babingtonite and green epidote.

I also found traces of gypsum, rare sphalerite crystals, and heulandite. Everything is micro in scale - it may be that larger specimens have been found.

One of the more enjoyable random collecting trips I've taken!

Best,

Hans

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to check it out this spring!

-Matthew

I believe the roncari quarry in grandby, ct, is open to collectors and the babingtonite there is amazing

Roncari

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!

That would be news to me. I thought Roncari has been closed to collectors for years.

Really? I Know a certain collector who has been in there recently....

-Rowan Lytle

son: -picks up huge loose amethyst cluster- "Is this what we're looking for?"
father: "Holy #$@%!

To the best of my knowledge, Roncari has been closed to collecting for (at least) the last 10 years. I have never been able to get permission from the owners. If this has changed, it must be very recent.

The last I heard people were sneaking in from time to time but I also heard that any one caught was getting arrested for trespass. They had people climbing the walls to get at pockets which we all (should) know is NOT safe or condoned.

The Roncari Quarry is definitely closed. As far as Blueberry Hill goes, there are the remains of quarries spread throughout the industrial park; however, the businesses here have set up fences and the police patrol often. You may be able to ask around for permission.

The shaft 10 site in Hardwick does have some nice micros. Just went there at the end of March, I do love the little fluorites...most can't be seen at all with the naked eye but get them under a microscope and they sure are pretty. Babingtonite is also micro sized. Recommend being cautious when reaching into any holes as there are snakes that like to sun themselves on the rocks there. Beautiful area to visit. One of my favorites

Rach

went there around 6 years ago found some nice pieces at the bottom of that big cliff. no one seamed to
care I was there it was rough little spot to climb in to .Babingtonite is encased in Calcite. good luck if
you go!

Mike Ruprecht Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> went there around 6 years ago found some nice
> pieces at the bottom of that big cliff. no one
> seamed to
> care I was there it was rough little spot to climb
> in to .Babingtonite is encased in Calcite. good
> luck if
> you go!


Thanks! I'll definitely have to look into visiting the place, hopefully some time this month. I'll be sure to try asking permission, of course.

-Matthew