|
|
Mount Mica Quarry, Paris, Oxford Co., Maine, USA
Granite pegmatite in the Oxford pegmatite field. Mount Mica is the second oldest elbaite occurrence in North America, after Clarkes Ledge Quarry, Chesterfield, Massachusetts (King, 2010; King and Teixeira, 2010). Mount Mica was found in 1821 by two professional men: one a doctor of medicine, Ezekiel Holmes, and one a lawyer, Elijah Hamlin. The day following the discovery was marked by a surprise early snowfall preventing further exploration until Hamlin's younger brothers drilled and blasted the ledge in the summer of 1822.(Although there are numerous reports which cite Augustus Hamlin's histories of the locality claiming an 1820 discovery, the date is incorrect for many reasons and the actual snowfall date is now known {Sturtevant, 1948; Perham, 1987, King, 2000, 2001, 2006a,b, 2012.) Analysis of snowfall records made by Parker Cleavland as well as a search of Oxford County town histories corroborate Sturtevant (1948 and Peham, 1987) and point to October 18, 1821 as the day of the discovery of Mount Mica and the famous snowstorm covering Mount Mica until the spring (King, 2012). Mount Mica is a LCT class granite pegmatite.
The first Rose Quartz crystals known in the world were found at Mount Mica Quarry about 1913-1915. The second locality for genuine rose quartz crystals in the world, the Dunton Gem Quarry, Newry, produced it's first crystals in 1927. A third world locality was discovered in 1942, at the Rose Quartz Crystal locality, also in Newry. Rose Quartz crystals were not known in Brazil until 1958.
It is particularly interesting that some pink Mount Mica tourmaline fluoresces blue in short wave ultraviolet, but that property is not so widespread at Mount Mica as the very fluorescent tourmaline of the Dunton Quarry, Newry (q.v.). Fluorescence is not a property that can be unambiguously used to differentiate genuine Mount Mica tourmaline from mislabeled Mount Mica tourmaline, but there may be useful comparisons when known and suspected specimens are examined at the same time.
Mineral List
89 entries listed. 64 valid minerals. 3 type localities (valid minerals). 11 erroneous literature entries.
The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
References
Sturtevant, Lawrence M., 1948, Ezekiel Holmes and his Influence, 1801-1865, MA Thesis, University of Maine, Orono, pp. 87.
Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 938.
Guidebook 1 to Mineral Collecting in the Maine Pegmatite Belt (1973), prepared by members of the Maine Federation Club: 8.
Mineralogical Record (1991): 22: 382.
Brownfield, M. E., Foord, E. E., Sutley, S. J. and Botinelly, T. (1993): Kosnarite, KZr2(PO4)3, a new mineral from Mount Mica and Black Mountain, Oxford County, Maine. Am. Mineral. 78, 653-656.
King, V. T. and Foord, E. E. (1994), Mineralogy of Maine, Descriptive Mineralogy, volume 1, Maine Geological Survey, Augusta, Maine, USA, 418 pp. + 88 plates.
Canadian Mineralogist (1994): 32: 839-842.
Thompson, W.B., et.al. (1998), Maine Mineral Localities, 3rd Ed.
King, Vandall T., 1998a, Letters from Maine [Augustus Hamlin], Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 13 (2), p. 8-14.
King, Vandall T., , 1998b, The Hamlin Letters, part 2 [Augustus Hamlin], Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 13 (2), p. 14-18.
King, V. (2000), Mount Mica: The Beginnings of Maine Mineral Production, in V. T. King (editor), Mineralogy of Maine, Mining History, Gems, and Geology, volume 2, Maine Geological Survey, Augusta, Maine: 83-127.
King, V. and Foord, E. (2000), Mineralogy of Maine, Mining History, Gems, and Geology, volume 2, Maine Geol;ogical Survey, Augusta, Maine, 524 pp. + 25 plates.
Moore, P. B. (2000), Analyses of Primary Phosphates from Pegmatites in Maine and Other Localities, in V. T. King (editor), Mineralogy of Maine. Mining History, Gems, and Geology, Maine Geological Survey, Augusta, Maine, p. 333-336.
King, Vandall T., 2001, Still a Dead End – When was Mt. Mica Discovered?, Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 16, #2, p. 9ff.
King, Vandall T., 2006a, Mineralogy and Chemistry at Harvard 1800-1865; In Search of John White Webster – an Innocent Man, Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 21, #2, p. 5-24.
King, Vandall T., 2006b, Primary Sources and a Partial Analysis of a Revered History Book – This [sic] History of Mount Mica, Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 21, #3, p. 5-23.
King, Vandall T., 2010, In Search of Dr. David Hunt: Father of American Tourmaline, Journal of the Geoliterary Society, v 25 (1), p. 10-13.
King, Vandall T. and Teixeira, Angie, 2010, Massachusetts: The First Rubellite Locality in the USA, The Vug, v 3 (1): p. 5-7, 9, 11.
King, Vandall T., 2012, In Search of Alois [aka Lewis] Baron von Lederer with Reference to Mineral Collecting in Diana, New York and Mount Mica, Paris, Maine, Journal of the Geoliterary Society, v. 27 (1): p. 4-28.
Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 938.
Guidebook 1 to Mineral Collecting in the Maine Pegmatite Belt (1973), prepared by members of the Maine Federation Club: 8.
Mineralogical Record (1991): 22: 382.
Brownfield, M. E., Foord, E. E., Sutley, S. J. and Botinelly, T. (1993): Kosnarite, KZr2(PO4)3, a new mineral from Mount Mica and Black Mountain, Oxford County, Maine. Am. Mineral. 78, 653-656.
King, V. T. and Foord, E. E. (1994), Mineralogy of Maine, Descriptive Mineralogy, volume 1, Maine Geological Survey, Augusta, Maine, USA, 418 pp. + 88 plates.
Canadian Mineralogist (1994): 32: 839-842.
Thompson, W.B., et.al. (1998), Maine Mineral Localities, 3rd Ed.
King, Vandall T., 1998a, Letters from Maine [Augustus Hamlin], Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 13 (2), p. 8-14.
King, Vandall T., , 1998b, The Hamlin Letters, part 2 [Augustus Hamlin], Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 13 (2), p. 14-18.
King, V. (2000), Mount Mica: The Beginnings of Maine Mineral Production, in V. T. King (editor), Mineralogy of Maine, Mining History, Gems, and Geology, volume 2, Maine Geological Survey, Augusta, Maine: 83-127.
King, V. and Foord, E. (2000), Mineralogy of Maine, Mining History, Gems, and Geology, volume 2, Maine Geol;ogical Survey, Augusta, Maine, 524 pp. + 25 plates.
Moore, P. B. (2000), Analyses of Primary Phosphates from Pegmatites in Maine and Other Localities, in V. T. King (editor), Mineralogy of Maine. Mining History, Gems, and Geology, Maine Geological Survey, Augusta, Maine, p. 333-336.
King, Vandall T., 2001, Still a Dead End – When was Mt. Mica Discovered?, Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 16, #2, p. 9ff.
King, Vandall T., 2006a, Mineralogy and Chemistry at Harvard 1800-1865; In Search of John White Webster – an Innocent Man, Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 21, #2, p. 5-24.
King, Vandall T., 2006b, Primary Sources and a Partial Analysis of a Revered History Book – This [sic] History of Mount Mica, Journal of the Geo-Literary Society, v. 21, #3, p. 5-23.
King, Vandall T., 2010, In Search of Dr. David Hunt: Father of American Tourmaline, Journal of the Geoliterary Society, v 25 (1), p. 10-13.
King, Vandall T. and Teixeira, Angie, 2010, Massachusetts: The First Rubellite Locality in the USA, The Vug, v 3 (1): p. 5-7, 9, 11.
King, Vandall T., 2012, In Search of Alois [aka Lewis] Baron von Lederer with Reference to Mineral Collecting in Diana, New York and Mount Mica, Paris, Maine, Journal of the Geoliterary Society, v. 27 (1): p. 4-28.
External Links
http://www.coromotominerals.com/index.html - Mining Operations at Mount Mica & Orchard Pit Mines, Oxford County, Maine.
http://minerals.gps.caltech.edu/rossmanite/USA_Maine_Mt_Mica/Mt-Mica-index.htm [Link Broken? Jun 2013]
http://minerals.gps.caltech.edu/rossmanite/USA_Maine_Mt_Mica/Mt-Mica-index.htm [Link Broken? Jun 2013]
This page kindly sponsored by Henry Minot
Mindat Lightbox
Mineral and Locality SearchOptions| Fade toolbar when not in focus | Fix toolbar to bottom of page | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hide Social Media Links | |||
| Slideshow frame delay | seconds | ||
