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Field CollectingCalcite veins

14th Jan 2016 15:06 UTCMatt Courville

With the thick of winter still here I was pondering what localities to collect at next season(eastern/central Ontario). In doing this, I thought to ask particular advice for something which has always eluded me: how to find a fresh calcite vein for apatite. I have collected at sites in the past and found it difficult to know where to dig other than around pre-exposed areas.

Could there be any geological tips for finding a calcite vein, or is it simply a matter of trial and error once you are in a known geological area to have these. Any tips, advice, or personal approaches would be greatly appreciated(and used of course;)

Matt

15th Jan 2016 15:10 UTCAndrew Debnam 🌟

Hi Matt, I have always believed you fish where the fish are. Meaning you can go back to existing spots that are quote "tapped out" but perhaps change a bit what you do and or find the right structures for calcite veins. See if can get this fold out map produced by the MNR in 1975-Bancroft area minerals. On one side it has map- geology and mineral collecting sites of the Bancroft area. This map has all the geologic features (the type of intrusive mass etc), colour coded. Overlain on that are 60 collecting spots. Some still active or defunct? or are they defunct is the other question. This could help with some of your own prospecting by comparing features. For the pre-existing sites I would get a long steel rod for probing. Look for fissures in the ground to start fresh trenches that may run out from older dug out trenches. The rod can be driven into areas to look for pockets or soft areas for digging around the weathered calcite.

I have seen the map for sale on ebay

This is a blog from a dealer web site which is rather long winded but saves me the time of telling the same story. It hits on some good points from Bear Lake (not intended to promote this particular dealers products)

http://www.treasuremountainmining.com/index.php?route=pavblog/blog&id=32

Andrew

15th Jan 2016 16:56 UTCMatt Courville

Thanks Andrew:)-D This is the type of thing I was hoping for and was starting to wonder if I asked a foolish question from the lack of response;) The crow-bar idea is something which I will have to try-out. Thanks also for the site link - I love to read these types of stories. Around Bancroft, Frank Festa has done some great articles like this worthy of checking-out.

Matt

15th Jan 2016 19:43 UTCDoug Schonewald

Matt,

If the areas are hilly and I am looking for something new in the area I start by combing the hillsides looking for tiny bits of 'float'. It doesn't take much. working this 'float' by following it uphill, I have often found new veins of a variety of materials. If it is fairly flat I look for anthills and check their debris (in fact, many great finds have come from ant piles). If there are no ants, and it is fairly flat, I might dig a shallow trench with a potato rake for 10-20' and about a foot deep looking for 'float'.

I have to agree with Andrew. In my experience (mostly with lapidary materials) there is almost never a single vein. There are other veins in the area. Another option that I find I am using more and more is Google Earth. You would be amazed at what you can find using Google Earth. I print and mark up maps during the winter and then go search the area come spring and summer.

Cheers

Doug

15th Jan 2016 23:23 UTCJean-Yves Lamoureux

Hi Matt,

Some good articles on various environments, including Bear Lake, can be found at the following website :

http://www.geologicdesires.com/articles.htm

Enjoy !

:-)

16th Jan 2016 19:36 UTCMatt Courville

Thanks Doug and Jean-Yves. Winter here in Ontario is sadly still keeping us away from the fun, but even with the blackflies of spring, I think that I will still go-out;)

16th Jan 2016 22:53 UTCDoug Daniels

As far as "geological tips", with a vein deposit there is the idea of the strike of the vein (its geographic orientation). With the proper equipment (a proper compass), one can follow the vein. Or, you can seek other, similarly oriented, nearby veins. The problem with calcite veins, is they are a bit soluble if there is enough rainfall in the local climate. I'm assuming there is enough rainfall at the location to weather the calcite more quickly than the surrounding rock. So you would have to look at the strikes of linear depressions (and, good luck with that), which might indicate the presence of a calcite vein. Then you'd have go dig around a bit, etc. So, unless you have a lot of free time, or tend to be extremely lucky, I'd follow any existing locations. At least you would know things were found along that trend.

16th Jan 2016 23:51 UTCTim Jokela Jr

Well, if you want to just hammer on some calcite and get some decent apatites, there's a big hunk of it not far past the sign at the Bear Lake Diggings.

More rock you move, more you'll find. If you like sledgehammer and prybar work, it's is extremely fun.

That area has been collected heavily, by hardcore collectors, for decade upon decade.

Study the geology of vein-dykes, study claim maps, and figure out who owns what. If you're competent in the bush, hike the property lines and figure out what's what, then do your prospecting as far away from easy access as you can. A backpack, water, big shovel, little shovel, don't carry anything else until you find an un-dug vein.

Join multiple clubs and go on every field trip, make friends, maybe you'll get a tip, or be taken to a locality that's been back-hoed. The hardcore field collectors are in the clubs and on the trips, they know what they're doing, offer free labor or gas money.

Contact the Bancroft Chamber of Commerce and ask about their claims, and if anything new is being opened.

Nobody on the interwebs is going to tell you much more than the above, I'm afraid. Hell, I don't know any more than that, for that matter. I too would dearly love to dig out an untouched calcite vein-dyke, but it's a great deal of time and effort, and the results, well, you kinda have to really love your Grenville minerals to appreciate them.

17th Jan 2016 00:32 UTCMatt Courville

This is fantastic information and is appreciated. Hard work has never been my worry, but rather the fear of being slightly naive without a geology related education is why I've asked many questions here on mindat. I recal a little over a year ago smashing at a roughly 8x8 foot boulder just to extract a 4cm smokey quartz. This took me perhaps 45min-1hr. which could be borderline embarrassing when I think of it; yet it was worth it to me. I had cut my finger and had no band-aids so I had no chioce but to bandage it-up with McDonalds napkins I had in my backpack and keep hammering hoping that the crystal wouldn't fracture.

I love the hunt and the nature elements of mineral collecting, and would feel comfortable giving away 1/2 of what I find if it meant furthering someone's education or career. This, in my personal opinion, is as exciting as keeping them in my collection on shelves/in boxes.

Cheers,

Matt

17th Jan 2016 04:59 UTCDoug Daniels

As far as getting your finger cut.....that is why you need some good leather gloves. Kinda like eyeglasses. Prevent injury before.

17th Jan 2016 13:42 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Gloves sure help but even then I had a piece of chisel fly off and go through my glove and embed itself in my finger. Having a band aid with me came in handy. Freak things happen and you should be prepared for all of them, especially if you collect on your own. Always make sure someone knows where you are. Cell phones sure come in handy but not all locations have connectivity so set up call in times.

18th Jan 2016 15:50 UTCMatt Courville

Ironically enough I had just bought some new gloves yesterday before reading this. I often get the temptation of feeling-out everything by hand especially when it gets hot and humid wearing gloves. Now I carry and bunch of bandaids, and it seems like double of everything in case something breaks far from the car. I also plan to one day budget a portable GPS, but for now like the idea of a compass and colored tape to mark direction for reasonable hikes.

Cell phones make me laugh a bit because it seems like at the places that you'll need them most, they seem to fail you;)

4th Jul 2016 17:41 UTCjeff yadunno

i know where some are

had the pleasure of digging into fresh material for the first time recently

if you want to carpool i like to leave early like 4 am

likely do a day trip in the near future on a weekend

5th Jul 2016 13:26 UTCMatt Courville

Thanks for the offer Jeff - you seem to be dedicated at 4am :)-D

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