Dorion Amethyst Mine, Mineral Lot A, McTavish Township, Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canadai

Regional Level Types
Dorion Amethyst Mine	Mine
Mineral Lot A	- not defined -
McTavish Township	Township
Thunder Bay District	District
Ontario	Province
Canada	Country

The mining claims that make up the Dorion Amethyst Mine property were originally prospected for copper in the late 1960s. Thirteen diamond drill holes were drilled south to north across the calcite and barite vein system, but failed to intersect any significant copper mineralization.

In 1972, E.J. ('Ted') Williamson obtained a mining lease and developed the property as the Dorion Amethyst Mine. He and his wife Edna welcomed thousands of tourists to the site over the next two decades.

The Grieve family of Thunder Bay acquired the lease in 1995, working the amethyst deposit on a seasonal basis for the next 25 years. The majority of production was in the form of fine collector specimens and landscape rock, although the 'gemmy' interiors of some larger amethyst crystals provided excellent faceting material; stones to 10 carats have been produced. The mine came under new ownership in late 2020.

The main amethyst showing occurs in an east-north-east striking, near vertical, coarsely crystalline calcite vein approximately 2m wide. Within the vein are isolated pods of coarsely crystalline, dark pink barite as well as stringer veins of pyrite and chalcopyrite. The calcite vein system is bordered by sedimentary rocks of the Sibley Group. Excellent dark purple amethyst crystals to 15cm are mined from isolated vugs within the calcite. The vugs are typically filled with a dense and very sticky, red mud.

To the west, a second amethyst showing occurs in pink granite. Vugs are fairly common, but typically measure less than 15cm in all dimensions. Amethyst crystal coloration ranges from light lavender to smoky to bright red (hematite coated), and average less than 1cm in diameter.

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