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McGill University campus, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Kaolinite
McGill University campus, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Photo: Donald Doell
Latitude: 45°30'15"N
Longitude: 73°34'38"W
The type occurrence of Dawsonite was a trachytic (feldspathic) dike cutting Trenton limestone "near the western end of McGill College [now McGill University]" adjacent to The Arts Building.

The type Dawsonite specimens were collected between 1855 and 1874 first by Dr. A. F. Holmes and then Principal William Dawson. Although Dawson recognized the material as a likely new species, B. J. Harrington published the first description of the new mineral in 1875.

Dawsonite occurred in veinlets in joints, formed on cooling of the dike, and in clusters. Associated minerals include Calcite, bundles of Kaolinite crystals, cubes of Pyrite and Fluorite.

What may have been the same dike was encountered in September and October of 1963 during construction of The Leacock Building and again in 2002 and 2003 during construction of The Penfield 740 Building and The Trottier Building.

Mineral List

Arsenopyrite
Calcite
Dawsonite (TL)
Dolomite
Fluorite
Galena
Kaolinite
Pyrite
'Wad'


9 entries listed. 8 valid minerals. 1 type locality (valid mineral).

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References

HARRINGTON, B.J. (1874) Notes on Dawsonite, a new carbonate. The Canadian Naturalist and Quarterly Journal of Science, VII, 305 309.

HARRINGTON, B.J. (1878) Note on the composition of dawsonite. The Canadian Naturalist, New series, X, 84 86.

STEVENSON, J.S. & STEVENSON,L.S. (1965) The Petrology of Dawsonite at the type locality, Montreal, The Canadian Mineralogist 8, 249-252.

TARASSOFF, P. (2013) Dawsonite, a Montreal mineral. Mineralogical Record 44,57-76.

- Donald Doell personal observations

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Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2013. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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