Pfizer Company Marble Quarry (New England Lime Co. quarry; NELCO quarry; Specialty Minerals Inc.; Minerals Technologies Inc.; Canaan Limestone Quarry; Connecticut Lime Company; Canaan Lime Company; Lewis Quarry), Canaan, North Canaan, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USAi
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
42° 0' 48'' North , 73° 18' 56'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Canaan | 1,212 (2017) | 1.9km |
| Falls Village | 538 (2017) | 7.5km |
| Norfolk | 553 (2017) | 9.6km |
| Sheffield | 3,393 (2017) | 11.2km |
| Lakeville | 928 (2017) | 11.6km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol Gem & Mineral Club | Bristol, Connecticut | 49km |
Mindat Locality ID:
23413
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:23413:2
GUID (UUID V4):
2b4d3953-20c5-40d6-ba33-47f4b6feef0e
A large, long-lived and as of 2012 still active quarry in the Cambrian Stockbridge Marble located on Lower Road up against the north side of Canaan Mountain. Due to its size and longevity, this is most likely the quarry that produced most specimens labeled simply as "Canaan, Connecticut". It is situated near the village of Canaan (aka "Canaan Village", the largest population center in the area) in the Town of North Canaan (not to be confused with the Town of Canaan just to the south, which has a few smaller marble quarries). Schooner (1961) incorrectly refers to it being in East Canaan village.
According to Force (2008) this quarry began as the Lewis Quarry and was taken over by the newly formed Canaan Lime Company in 1888, which merged with other companies in 1902 to form the New England Lime Company, which had other quarries in the area and apparently eventually obtained this one also. Dale (1923), notes that an active quarry of "the Connecticut Lime Co. is a mile southeast of Canaan village", the correct place for this quarry. Moore (1935) also uses this name for the abandoned quarry on the northern slope of Canaan Mountain. Moore (2009) states that the U. S. government bought New England Lime Company in 1942, and a plant was built in the Daisy Hill area of Canaan Village to extract magnesium from dolomite for aircraft parts and incendiary material and, secretly, for the Manhattan Project during WWII. New England Lime Company (NELCO) sold it to Pfizer in 1964, and Pfizer turned the quarry over to a group of their employees, called Specialty Minerals, a subsidiary of Minerals Technologies, Inc., in 1992. As of 2012, it is still used for aggregate and ground products. Note, the open street map view has the quarry incorrectly labeled as the "Allyndale Quarry".
Note that New England Lime Co. had other quarries in North Canaan north of U.S. Route 44, one of which could be depicted in the postcard locality photograph rather than the quarry on Lower Road, which is south of U. S. Route 44.
Many old references note the abundance of tremolite and dolomite there, but Januzzi (1976) gives the best descriptions of minerals, from information provided by Jason G. Clark of West Cornwall. Repeated in Januzzi (1994) with a few photographs.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
19 valid minerals. 1 erroneous literature entry.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| β Actinolite Formula: ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 Colour: light green Description: associated with tremolite |
| β 'Apatite' Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) Colour: Blue and green Fluorescence: pinkish Description: "Blue and green nodules fluoresce pinkish under short wave. This is not plentiful and the largest piece reported was lost in the crusher March 21, 1961. The crusher operator reported a sky-blue stone about the size of his head. Unfortunately, no fragments were obtained from the conveyor." Januzzi (1976) |
| β 'Asbestos' Habit: firbous Colour: white Description: Fairly thick, white, matted fibers of amphibole asbestos. |
| β 'Asbestos var. Mountain Leather' Habit: fibrous Colour: white Description: Fairly thick, white, matted fibers of amphibole or perhaps sepiolite. |
| β Baryte Formula: BaSO4 Habit: tabular Colour: yellow Description: Tabular yellow crystals found in vug with quartz and calcite. |
| β Bornite Formula: Cu5FeS4 Description: Small amount found in seam with massive chalcopyrite. |
| β Calcite Formula: CaCO3 Habit: scalenohedra and rhombohedra in almost cubic form to needle-like forms Colour: cream to yellow Fluorescence: red, cream to yellow Description: Crystals are found in vugs and occasionally with massive cleavage material in seams and veins. Occasionally the crystals are clear, and when broken into cleavages, show the double refraction commonly associated with Iceland spar. The cleavage material is generally cream-colored with some going to yellowish. This last fluoresces red under short wave. Weak response under long wave. Mostly the calcite shows weak fluorescence, cream to yellow, under both long and short waves; it is phosphorescent: it is also thermoluminescent.
|
| β Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 Habit: mostly massive, rare crystals Description: Crystals are rare but have been found. Mostly massive. |
| β 'Chlorite Group' Description: Mica-like scales. |
| β Clinochlore Formula: Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 Habit: micaceous scales Colour: green Description: Green mica-like scales and crystals. |
| β Diopside Formula: CaMgSi2O6 Habit: prismatic Colour: light brown Description: subhedral crystals associated with tremolite References: |
| β Dolomite Formula: CaMg(CO3)2 Habit: mostly massive, rhombohedral where crystallized Colour: colorless, white, gray to black Description: Much of the dolomite is of a fetid variety. Much of it is also triboluminescent and thermoluminescent. Occasionally it is phosphorescent. The writer has found no fluorescent dolomite to date.
In addition to the crystalline variety, there occurs also a white sugary dolomite which is quite common throughout the area.
Light to dark masses and seams of massive cleavable dolomite occur throughout the deposit. Some of it may be found in intimate contact with the tremolite. Much of this cleavage material is fetid. It occasionally contains vugs wherein one may find rhombohedral crystals of dolomite.
Rhombic crystals of dolomite both clear and of varying shades of gray are found. None found by the writer has been curved. No pink dolomite or crystals have been found. The pink-colored dolomite, which has been reported, is a hematite or limonite stained dolomite from the alteration of pyrite, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite.
Occasional masses of dark to almost black dolomite occur. These are usually low in magnesium with mud or other impurities furnishing the darkening quality.
White adularia, rhombohedral dolomite, and a few black needle rutile crystals from a cleft in the Stockbridge Formation, found in a boulder of rip-rap off-site.
|
| β Fluorapatite Formula: Ca5(PO4)3F Colour: Light bluish green Fluorescence: pinkish to orange Description: Light bluish green nodules with an occasional crystal. Fluoresces pinkish to orange under short wave. |
| β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite Formula: (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) Colour: Light bluish green Fluorescence: pinkish to orange Description: Light bluish green nodules with an occasional crystal. Fluoresces pinkish to orange under short wave. |
| β 'K Feldspar' References: |
| β 'K Feldspar var. Adularia' Formula: KAlSi3O8 Habit: sheaf-like aggregates Colour: white Description: Crystal aggregates to about 1 cm found in a cleft in an off-site rip-rap boulder with dolomite and rutile crystals. References: |
| β 'Limonite' Habit: cubic and pyritohedral pseudomorphs after pyrite Colour: brown Description: Mostly as an alteration product of pyrite and chalcopyrite. Also found pseudomorphic after pyrite crystals, both cubes and pyritohedrons. |
| β Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 Colour: green Description: Some botryoidal but mostly green stain from alteration of chalcopyrite. |
| β Melanterite Formula: Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O Description: soluble rock surface coatings |
| β Phlogopite Formula: KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 Habit: scales, books, grains Colour: golden brown Fluorescence: yellow Description: Golden colored mica in scales and occasionally books. Plentifully disseminated throughout much of the sugary dolomite along with bladed tremolite. Is fluorescent under short wave giving a golden color. |
| β Pyrite Formula: FeS2 Habit: cubic, pyritohedral Description: Occurs in crystals up to one inch across the face. Cubes predominate with pyritohedrons showing up quite often. Also much massive material, sometimes in veins. Blebs common. |
| β Formula: Mn4+O2 Habit: dendritic Description: A black earthy mineral which has not be properly identified. |
| β Pyrrhotite Formula: Fe1-xS References: |
| β Quartz Formula: SiO2 Colour: clear, milky Description: Rock crystal from micromount size to eight inches in length. Not plentiful. Only one vein yielding a quantity of material has been found in the last three years. Some are crystal-clear but most range to cloudy with much fracturing. Also massive, milky. Occasional drusy, lacy vugs. |
| β Rutile Formula: TiO2 Habit: acicular Colour: black Description: Januzzi noted crystals and twinned crystals associated with quartz in a vein.
White adularia, rhombohedral dolomite, and a few black needle rutile crystals from a cleft in the Stockbridge Formation, found in a boulder of rip-rap off-site. |
| β 'Serpentine Subgroup' Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4 Habit: massive Colour: green |
| β Sphalerite Formula: ZnS Habit: small masses Colour: brown to black Description: Masses in secondary veins and clefts, poorly crystallized. |
| β Talc Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 Habit: Foliated, scales, rosettes. Also as pseudomorph after tremolite Colour: White, gray, green and pink. Description: pseudomorph after tremolite are gray to pink, sometimes slightly fluorescent and phosphorescent. |
| βͺ Tremolite Formula: ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 Habit: stubby six-sided crystals, blades, also massive and in radiating bundles of needle-like fibers, columnar aggregates Colour: white to gray Fluorescence: white or cream Description: Most common impurity found. Occurs in several forms. Not all of it fluoresces. When it does, it is generally white or cream colored. Sometimes phosphorescent. Triboluminescent. Called "Dogtooth" by old-time quarry workers.
|
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| β | Bornite | 2.BA.15 | Cu5FeS4 |
| β | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| β | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| β | Pyrrhotite | 2.CC.10 | Fe1-xS |
| β | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| β | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| β | Pyrolusite ? | 4.DB.05 | Mn4+O2 |
| β | Rutile | 4.DB.05 | TiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| β | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| β | Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| β | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| β | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
| β | Melanterite | 7.CB.35 | Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 Β· H2O |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| β | Fluorapatite | 8.BN.05 | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| β | var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | 8.BN.05 | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| β | Diopside | 9.DA.15 | CaMgSi2O6 |
| β | Tremolite | 9.DE.10 | β»Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| β | Actinolite | 9.DE.10 | β»Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| β | Talc | 9.EC.05 | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| β | Phlogopite | 9.EC.20 | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| β | Clinochlore | 9.EC.55 | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| Unclassified | |||
| β | 'K Feldspar var. Adularia' | - | KAlSi3O8 |
| β | 'Limonite' | - | |
| β | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
| β | 'Asbestos' | - | |
| β | 'var. Mountain Leather' | - | |
| β | 'K Feldspar' | - | |
| β | 'Serpentine Subgroup' | - | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| β | 'Apatite' | - | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | β Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| H | β Clinochlore | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| H | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| H | β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| H | β Melanterite | Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O |
| H | β Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | β Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| H | β Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| H | β Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| H | β Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| C | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | β Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| O | β K Feldspar var. Adularia | KAlSi3O8 |
| O | β Baryte | BaSO4 |
| O | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | β Clinochlore | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| O | β Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| O | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| O | β Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| O | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| O | β Melanterite | Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O |
| O | β Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | β Pyrolusite | Mn4+O2 |
| O | β Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | β Rutile | TiO2 |
| O | β Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| O | β Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| O | β Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| O | β Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | β Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| F | β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| F | β Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | β Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Mg | β Clinochlore | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| Mg | β Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Mg | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Mg | β Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Mg | β Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| Mg | β Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | β K Feldspar var. Adularia | KAlSi3O8 |
| Al | β Clinochlore | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| Al | β Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | β Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Si | β K Feldspar var. Adularia | KAlSi3O8 |
| Si | β Clinochlore | Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 |
| Si | β Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Si | β Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | β Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | β Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| Si | β Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| Si | β Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | β Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| P | β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| P | β Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | β Baryte | BaSO4 |
| S | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| S | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | β Melanterite | Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O |
| S | β Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | β Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
| S | β Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| Cl | β Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | β K Feldspar var. Adularia | KAlSi3O8 |
| K | β Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | β Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Ca | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | β Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Ca | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Ca | β Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| Ca | β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| Ca | β Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| Ca | β Apatite | Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH) |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | β Rutile | TiO2 |
| Mn | Manganese | |
| Mn | β Fluorapatite var. Manganese-bearing Fluorapatite | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn5+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) |
| Mn | β Pyrolusite | Mn4+O2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | β Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Fe | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Fe | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | β Melanterite | Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O |
| Fe | β Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Fe | β Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Cu | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Cu | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | β Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Ba | Barium | |
| Ba | β Baryte | BaSO4 |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Laurentides DomainDomain
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References
