Only from Canada, eh?

Some nice arborescent silver there, Ray - thanks for posting!

Greetings folks.

The collecting season is in full swing in these parts - actually, it has been for some time now since we had an earlier spring than usual.

Reiner just returned from Espanola where he found an assortment of cobaltite crystals, unusual in a couple of ways.

Most of the material collected in the past has been associated with actinolite and dolomite. In this particular pod, the crystals were also found in pyrrhotite and in quartz.

The form of many of the crystals was different than usual - as well as the cubes, the majority of the crystals are modified pyritohedrons.

After trimming and cleaning in Iron Out and a bit of HCl in some cases, here are a couple of the better pieces he found. Click on the photos for extra views and dimensions.

this are very nice, maybe some will show up at the gemboree in Bancroft.

Unusual indeed, Maggie; those are beauties.....
Tell Reiner great job!!

Here is a fine light orange calcite that my wife found in the uppermost level at the Amherstburg quarry, Amherstburg, Ontario in 1994. The specimen measures 4 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm and features a few doubly terminated calcite crystals without matrix. In excellent condition, Brenda found this while passing some time as I cleaned out a large pocket less than a foot away that produced some very large amber calcites with attached celestine blades. She was poking a screwdriver into some talus at the base of the wall when the screwdriver nearly disappeared! She suggested we try the upper level as we found very little elsewhere and perhaps we could at least find some coarse calcite or celestine chunks to offer at the kids tables at our annual show in Michigan.

Missing Ontario!
Dana

I recently collected this specimen on my first spring outing by cleaving it from a very large chunk of calcite. I was very fortunate that this hidden crystal appeared in tact after the initial cleave.It measures 7cm x 5cm and sits on a matrix of calcite 14cmx 13cm x 6cm .

If you click on the pic you can see a field photo taken on my iphone after the cleave.

From the hills near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2012 02:31AM by John Montgomery.

Thanks for the comments and posts, fellas -

Johnathan - the Gemboree is not on our calendar this year, however we will be at the club show the weekend before - as shoppers only.

Reiner thanks you for the compliments, Paul - as do I.

Dana - thanks for your story - you were one of the lucky folk who got to Amherstburg before it closed to collectors.

John - gotta love a lucky strike of the rock hammer - very nice!

Maggie

One of the first minerals that I encountered when I delved into this mineral craziness was variscite - the University of Waterloo had a wonderful cut and polished slab of the stuff from Utah. Gorgeous. Variscite has since been one of my favourites.

What a surprise when I came across a Canadian sample in our very own thumbnail collection! Right under my nose!

From the Itsy Lakes region of the Yukon Territory - a thumbnail - click on the photo for more views.

Yukon, variscite, I'll be damned. Wonder if any cutting grade came out, and who might have it. Looks vuggy, any variscite xls in there, or other phosphates visible under the scope, Maggie?

Nope, no crystals - some nice bubbly botryoidal masses, but not crystals. Reiner got it at the Bancroft Club show some years back - apparently the dealer had a flat of it... this was "BM" - (Before Maggie) - I would have recalled him buying variscite, most certainly.

It came from Rod Tyson, apparently. I just bought a small cabinet piece from George Thompson (who bought a flat from Rod some time ago) at the Peterborough show this year.

M

I think that George still has a few, I bought two from him few Years back. George is on Facebook.

From Sintra quarry at Ayers Cliff, Quebec, yes still in Canada (for the time beeing) Adularia about 50mm tall from small Pocket of what part of now gone Alpine type Cleft. Quary was known for smaller specimens of Adularia, Anatase, Brookite, Rutile, Siderite and Quartz.

Chromian Diopside from our first Nickel mine, Orford Nickel Mine near St-Denis-De-Brompton, Quebec.
About 50 mm tall. Nice little green Grossular and Millerite crystals are stii found ocassionally.

Although I know that I will die poor I always find Gold where no one else does.
This is a small natural alloy of Gold ~70% and Silver ~30% in a Malachite pocket, about 5mm.
From Lusenac Talc Quarry, at St-Pierre-De-brompton, Quebec.
Only specimen known.

And yet another piece this time just the simple Gold "dirtying" small chipp of Qurtzite and malachite.
Specimen is only about 30 mm. Again only one known.

A show of hands for those who would like to join Johnathan on his next trip to the talc quarry?

:)

The variscite was collected by the Kulan family, possibly under Welcome North's flag during the late 70's. The material is difficult to cut, being brecciated vein fillings in a dark, soft matrix. We did make some small eggs, spheres and polished pieces. The material came from Barry Kulan's garage in Vancouver. The property near Itsi lakes is still under claim but I have no knowledge of more material being available. George is probably now the only source.

Rod

Good to know, thanks Rod!

This is a different habit of weloganite, found at the type locality, the Francon Quarry, Quebec