Montrose Occurence

Yep I'll be there at 9 am. Michal, try to bring your sledge, remember I shattered my handle at Beamsville.. but I guess I could always pop over to Crappy Tire and get a new one..

... well? how was the trip?

inquiring minds...

IMPATIENT, inquiring minds, want to know!

Sorry Maggie, I meant to give a report when I got home but after a 3 1/2hr drive there, 7 hours of sledgehammering, 4 hours driving back... well, you get the idea. Here goes, though:

By the time I got there at 11, Michal had already found what I believe was the day's winner - a ~5" pocket with at least a half a dozen perfect little fluorites and some calcite xls (Michal will have to post a picture when he gets it cleaned up). We couldn't tell if they were blue as they were coated in clay and none of us had a toothbrush or anything. I did however find one on the dumps, but I'll get to that...

The Andrews also each had their spots picked out and were happily working away by the time I got there, so I poked around to see what I might find. Not liking what I saw amongst the large boulders at the bottom, I went off in search of greener pastures on the dumps.

Sadly, that was the extent of my socializing with the gang, but it was great to meet everyone, and I'm looking forward to hearing how the rest of their day went. My climb payed off almost immediately however, as I found a deep purple 1/2" fluorite sitting waiting for me at the top. As I kept working my way around, getting the lay of the land, I found several large boulders with plenty of visible sphalerite, and so began the hammering - and it didn't stop until my arms were about to fall off.

Being situated in the heart of the Grenville province, I'm more used to digging. I don't think I've done that much bashing since they did that last blast at the Beryl Pit (2001?). I'm still a hurting unit, but it payed off. In addition to another deep purple fluorite (5/8", but sadly dinged - I think it will cut a really nice stone though!), I came away with pantloads of sphalerite in red, green, yellow, and all of the above, in sizes up to 5/8". Boy, it's really tough to get the bigger crystals to stick to the matrix though!

All in all, it was well worth the trip and I only got rained on for the last hour or so. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the toothbrush! While I was touring around I found the nastiest looking toothbrush you ever saw, and remembering Michal's dirty fluorites, I thought I'd get a laugh if I offered him this one, so it went in my pocket. By the time I got back to where I had left the boys however, they were gone. They must have turned tail at the first sign of rain . Or, having been there since 8, their arms had fallen off.

When I finally got home at 10pm, I took a look at my finds. My three best pieces are:
1) a miniature matrix piece with a couple of perfect inter-grown fluorites to 1/2", colourless with just a wisp of purple at the top. Really nice! When I get a chance (not likely soon, sorry) I'll post a picture.
2) a ~3" pocket lined with sphalerites to 6mm in every colour, with a little gypsum.
3) that nasty toothbrush that I forgot was still in my pocket, since I couldn't pawn it off on anybody.

Don't worry Michal, that toothbrush's got your name on it - I'll make sure I bring it for you next time!

There you have it! Who's next?

Michael



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2009 03:20AM by Michael Bainbridge.

Well said Michael, you had it right!! I'm was a hurtin unit all day Sunday as well. And like you said are arms fell off. Michal and I took off around 5pm. However, we left are spot we met you and went to where those guys were rockhopping on their bikes. Man, you gotta be in shape to do that. Anyway, Michal and I started to sledge a large boulder and found a large vug. Michal peered inside and said Oh my God!! Well low and behold a huge multiple growth purple Flourite. We managed to break the boulder down to a manageable size. But who was going to take it? In the meantime I smashed another huge boulder and it produced another vug. Wow, another big Fluorite in a vug. Two hours later and with just a minor chip I managed to pull it out. That was my find of the day along with some small clear Fluorites. One more rectangle shaped than cubed. Now should I post a picture? Well, haven't properly cleaned it yet but, what the heck..The piece is 4cm x 3.5cm and 3.5cm high. First pic is a side view, the second a top view. Like I said it's still dirty..There is defenitely more to be had. Isn't everyone glad I live a 10min drive away.

Andrew Johns.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2009 03:38AM by Andrew Johns.

Good to hear you made it out in one piece Michael, you disappeared & we were getting worried. Funny thing about Saturday at Montrose was that there were two Michaels & two Andrews, what are the odds of that.

Anyway. I managed to get some images for you. I managed to clean out that cluster mass in a vug. It turns out the fluorites are all clear, and i counted over 15 cubes in the vug. The biggest are about 1.5 cm ( need to measure to be sure, most are under 1 cm), and they are flawless. That whole piece is still big but i have begun to cut it slowly, to make it smaller. Also that big fluorite that Andrew mentioned i managed to cut out of the rock when i returned home. I shrunk the 1 x 1.2 foot boulder to a cabinet sized piece, and amazingly the cube did not fracture or even chip. It is 3 x 3.5 x 3 cm, deep purple, and there are small cubes around it, one attached to it. That is a nice piece.

I also found a few small clear fluorite cubes with some dolomite that look nice, and flouress light yellow.

I also got that nice calcite cluster, it fluoresces whitish & has a strong phosphorescence.

Keep the brush Michael, you might need it. Up north around minded i am sure you have sample to clean. Any snow yet up in Minden? the temps there have been getting quite low at night.

I know exactly what you mean regarding digging, i collect around Bancroft myself & i am not overall used to so much bashing. I did alot in the dumps for my piece and the only sites i chipp at the rock much is at roadcuts & at the Beryl Pit.
My arms were sore & i was tired from the hunt. If you were there in the morning you would have noticed how talkative i was, and near 3-4 i was so low on fuel that i had not much left to say.
But the hunt was good & still montrose surprised me, i thought by now there would be not much to find. Every time i come to Montrose it seams more and more effort is spend in searching, and yet more reward. It goes to show you, determination is the key.

Andrew, glad to see your fluorite survived. A couple of mine smaller ones did not. Luckily the huge boulders helped the big purple & many clear fluorites survive the trip back home. You are lucky that live so close to the site, you can see any changes that occur there. Once construction begins to move the large boulders around yuo might have a great opportunity to find new stuff, before its all gone of course.

Now here are some photos,
1.) The big purple fluorite, it has multiple fluorite growth around it & some smaller cubes can be seen in the vug.
2.)The mass of clear fluorite cubes in a vug with calcite. I need to clean them out better to see more but there are over 15 cubes of various size there. I will take a better picture when i post the final cleaned & cut piece. What you cant see is the large boulder its still attached to & awaits trimming in my backyard.
3.) a small mass of clear fluorites with quite clear dolomites


Hope you all like, will post final pics later on.

Michal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2009 03:54AM by Michal Adamowicz.

Here is a better image of the vug with clear fluorite cubes & a calcite crystal mass. The vug is 9 cm long.

Michal.

Well, done, gents, well done!!

And thanks for taking the time to write about it and share your pictures. I appreciate it!

I can just imagine the jaws dropping and eyes popping when you saw that fluorite/calcite combo in the vug. Fantastic!

Reiner and I visited with family in Welland on Sunday. We took them to the site toward dusk and poked around. I found a tiny cm cube on an abandonned or overlooked hunk of matrix that was in a puddle. Next to it, Michael B., I found one of the scrungiest toothbrushes... better check your pockets. I think you are missing something!

Maggie

Curses, you have exposed my ruse! Damn, that was a nasty toothbrush though... did you hang on to it for me?

How was Ancanster?

Well done Michal and Andrew. Killers! Now we just need to hear from Andrew M...

Andrew?

Better speak up or Maggie will be sending that toothbrush your way!

Ugh! That toothbrush? I gave that narsty looking thing wide berth... I think you have to call in the hazard squad to dispose of such stuff, don't you?

The Ancaster show was fine. There were more jewellery types than mineral types, but we aim to change the balance of that next year. (This year we were there representing our club.) But the place was hopping - good sized crowds. The facility is new, which makes for a pleasant ambience, too. The best part, though, was the fact it was close to home - only 20 minutes drive.

The organizers had a great setup of Tim Elliott's collection - here is a sample of some of the giants he has found at the Lafarge Quarry in Dundas. The calcite monster is roughly 30 x 20 cm... give or take... I couldn't get close enough to measure

Michael. I could have actually used that toothbrush the other day. I was searching all over the house for a used toothbrush to clean a sample. I even debated using my wife’s and putting it back – but I thought that would probably end badly for me.

I had a pretty good day. I found some nice cream/yellow calcite and dolomite (both pink and white) pockets as well as some nice combinations of the two. Probably nothing exciting for someone who’s been to Montrose or Beamsville more than a couple of times, but I haven’t so I was pretty happy with them.

I was having poor luck with the fluorites until probably 2pm after I moved spots to where the crazy saw guy had been (one of many boulder sawed to bits). I got a few nice clear and purple fluorites for a few hours work, but destroyed many more trying to trim the sample down. I’m sure Michal and Andrew were wondering why I was swearing so much. Man those fluorites are delicate.

I definitely have some fluorite envy after seeing Michal’s and Andrew’s finds. I should have stuck closer to you guys.

Even though no treasures were had, it was a blast cracking apart that big boulder with the guys.

Thanks for all the tips. I’m definitely going to make a couple trip to the tool store.

I’ll try to post a couple pictures once I get around to cleaning some samples. I think I may need some tips in trimming my nicer fluorites without destroying them.

Andrew and Michal and Michael it was great meeting you guys.

Andrew

Wow, you guys did great, wish I could have made it. That purple crystal is sick!

Don't be hammering those fluorites down!!!

Buy a cheap diamond blade that fits your skill saw. If you don't own a skillsaw, first check btw legs for testicles, as all real men own at least one skillsaw, then high thee down to your local big box hardware outlet and pony up for one. Some are ridiculously cheap.

This will cut that limestone like butter. Don't get all crazy with it, plan your cuts and aim to have no saw marks visible from the front of the piece. Cut partially through and then pop it with a screwdriver to avoid the ugly straight edges. Dust mask, ear protection, and eye protection are mandatory.

Alternatively, buy a proper trimmer, or use a sturdy bench vise as a pressure trimmer. You could fairly easily rig up some pointy cutting bits to fit it, focusing the force on a tiny area. This is riskier than sawing, as you're sending shock waves thru the rock.

Or, drill a series of holes with a masonry bit to guide the break. Or, remember that this is limestone, and burn it away with mild acid. Safety first blah blah read the instructions etc.

Bear in mind that those lovely big fluorite crystals are rare and beautiful things. Spending a few bucks to prep them is totally worth it.

T

You are right Tim. I will take great care with the samples i got form Montrose. I actually have a diamond blade & i used it to trim down the actual boulder that had the purple fluorite one i got it home. The bloody piece was heavy but i took the whole bit not wanting to risk it breaking, the Fluorite was too good a find to take any less care. I cut the boulder up a a bit at home & then i trimmed the final piece to what it is now. I don't what to risk any more cuts for now but eventually in the future i will do a bit more work on it, but for now its a good piece, & you cant see any of the cut from the front. I tool my time with it & it is a good piece. Here is an image of the boulder as i begun to make cuts, i am pointing to the fluorite.

As for the clear fluorites, i will take great care with them also & take my time.

Michal.

Hi All,

I finally got around to taking a few quick snapshots of the stuff I collected at Montrose. Some still need a bit of a trim and some more cleanup, but I think you'll get the idea. In general, all thumbnail to small cabinet (not counting the stuff I have to trim off in some cases), and nothing spectacular like Michal and Andrew, but I'm pretty happy for my first time out.

Calcite:



Fossilized banana peel:



? with ? - it looks like calcite crystals in massive gypsum to me but I figure somebody who reads this will know for sure.


More coming...

Calcite & Sphalerite



Dolomite - I think Andrew M. left this behind. Thanks!



Biggest single sphalerite (none of the big ones will stick to matrix. Arrrrrg!)


More coming....

Best fluorites:

Biggest - sadly dinged at the bottom and attached to a huge chunk of matrix but I'm thinking it will make a better cut stone anyway. Anyone know if these cut well, or do they suffer from stress fractures like the Hwy 7 stuff George & Frank collected?


Nicest thumbnail - a little fractured unfortunately, but nothing a little silicone oil won't fix


Probably my best overall find of the day (except, of course, the toothbrush - which, sadly, I have no picture of)


One more...

Best matrix sphalerite:



A cute single:



And a lump of coal for my stocking... I've been a very bad boy.



There you have it. There are a few others too, but that'll do. Can't wait to see what gets turned up when they start building the Walmart!

Michael

banana peel = coral, mayhaps?

calcite in gypsum, so sayeth Herr Reiner

nice finds, Michael - do your fluorite change color from incandescent to sunlight? Some of them do:
[www.ontariominerals.com]

You write that you went up the hill - did you go "up" up? That is waaaaaaaay up to the top of the mountain?

Coral? Nah, my money's on banana peel... clove of garlic maybe.

Yup, all the waaaaaaaaaaaay to the top. I worked my way around much of the dump too, concentrating on steeper areas with less vegetation, higher erosion, and more slumping.

As for the colour change, I'll have to check again when it's light out but I didn't notice much of anything. Minor, if at all.

garlic,eh? one thing's for certain - lump of coal is well deserved!