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Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA
Detailed Mineral List:
| Albite |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula: | NaAlSi3O8 | |
| Habit: | blocky, equant | |
| Colour: | white to pale gray | |
| Fluorescence: | lavender, magenta-pink | |
| Description: | Besides a major constituent of the pegmatite, crystals in small pockets reach up to about 2 cm, often in dense clusters, also as overgrowth on microcline on cleavelandite and psuedomorphous after muscovite in the wall zone. | |
| Reference: | [www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com]; Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2003 John H. Betts. Albite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Albite var: Cleavelandite |  | |
| Habit: | tabular prisms | |
| Colour: | white | |
| Fluorescence: | reddish magenta to lavender | |
| Description: | as irregular aggregates of small subhedral crystals, often in very aesthetic arrangements, and as veins 1/8 to ¼ inch wide and as much as 6 feet long | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255, Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Cleavelandite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Albite var: Oligoclase | ||
| Formula: | (Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8] | |
| Reference: | Rocks & Minerals (1981) 56:67-69 | |
| Almandine |  | |
| Formula: | Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3 | |
| Habit: | trapezohedral | |
| Colour: | maroon | |
| Description: | small crystals a few mm concentrated in layers in the metamorphic rock around the pegmatite. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State, p. 273. | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Almandine from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| | ||
| Formula: | LiAl(PO4)F | |
| Description: | Penfield's 1879 analysis of a Branchville specimen showed an OH:F ratio of 1.02, making this specimen montebrasite as now defined. Many references are not specific to species, back then all of the massive lithium phosphate of this series was generically called "amblygonite". It is now known that the amblygonite species is incredibly uncommon even in localities which have fluorite, massive fluorapatite, and topaz. Therefore, specimens from this locality are most likely montebrasite. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, Ronald E. (1959): The Minerals of Western Connecticut and Southeastern New York. The Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut. | |
| Annite |  | |
| Formula: | KFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 | |
| Habit: | subhedral tabular | |
| Colour: | black | |
| Fluorescence: | none | |
| Description: | fka biotite: found radiating from cyrtolite/quartz/muscovite aggregates | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255; Shainin (1946) | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Annite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| 'Apatite' |  | |
| Habit: | aggregates of elongated, crude prisms | |
| Colour: | white | |
| Description: | Reportedly the carbonate-rich variety. In small pockets in cleavelandite. | |
| Reference: | Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Apatite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Autunite | ||
| Formula: | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 11H2O | |
| Description: | "autunite" mentioned as an accessory by Cameron et al (1954), but probably dehydrated to meta-autunite | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) | |
| Bertrandite |  | |
| Formula: | Be4(Si2O7)(OH)2 | |
| Habit: | tabular to equant | |
| Colour: | colorless | |
| Description: | drusy micro crystals coating cavities, also probably pseudomorphous after beryl | |
| Reference: | Henderson (1975) Bertrandites of Connecticut; Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Bertrandite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Beryl |  | |
| Formula: | Be3Al2(Si6O18) | |
| Habit: | tapered to columnar aggregates | |
| Colour: | yellow-green, green, gray | |
| Description: | columnar aggregates up to 2 feet long. | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: Beryl from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Beryl var: Aquamarine |  | |
| Formula: | Be3Al2Si6O18 | |
| Reference: | Rocks & Minerals. Vol. 70. No. 6; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Aquamarine from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Beryl var: Goshenite | ||
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Beryl var: Heliodor | ||
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Beryl var: Morganite |  | |
| Colour: | pink | |
| Reference: | Rocks & Minerals. Vol. 70. No. 6; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Morganite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Bismuth | ||
| Formula: | Bi | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Bismutite | ||
| Formula: | (BiO)2CO3 | |
| Habit: | earthy alteration of bismuthinite | |
| Colour: | white, gray, yellow | |
| Description: | in cleavelandite as an alteration of bismuthinite, associated with wulfenite, pyromorphite and cerussite | |
| Reference: | Januzzi. (1976). Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi. (1994). Mineral Data Book | |
| Brazilianite ? | ||
| Formula: | NaAl3(PO4)2(OH)4 | |
| Habit: | spheroidal aggregate with a radial, coarse fibrous structure | |
| Description: | according to Januzzi (1976 & 1994): micro-crystal found in the outer altered portion of an amblygonite crystal | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State, p.228. | |
| Calcite |  | |
| Formula: | CaCO3 | |
| Habit: | anhedral grains | |
| Description: | veins in the border zone, rarely as micro crystals in small pockets. | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Calcite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Cerussite |  | |
| Formula: | PbCO3 | |
| Description: | micros occur in cavities in cleavelandite associated with altered bismuthinite, pyromorphite and wulfenite | |
| Reference: | Januzzi. (1976). Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi. (1994). Mineral Data Book | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Cerussite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Chabazite-Ca | ||
| Formula: | (Ca,K2,Na2)2[Al2Si4O12]2 · 12H2O | |
| Habit: | Rhombohedra, also embedded grains in lithiophilite. | |
| Colour: | brownish-orange to reddish brown | |
| Description: | Extremely rare. Chemical analysis by Brush and Dana (1879b) show this material is chabazite-Ca of modern nomenclature. Their description is: "This species occurs of a dark yellowish to reddish brown color, in irregular masses disseminated though quartz, and sometimes imbedded directly in the green chloritic material, and also in the massive manganesian carbonate [rhodochrosite] occurring with the lithiophilite. A few small crystals 1/4 to 1/2 inch, were found in cavities." One specimen of these crystals remains in the Yale collection (025313). Massive material shows a resinous, translucent orange-colored cores with lighter colored aureoles. The article provides additional data regarding the mineral and a complete wet chemical analysis corresponding with the accepted limits of chabazite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1879 b) | |
| Columbite-(Fe) |  | |
| Formula: | FeNb2O6 | |
| Habit: | masses and well developed tabular to prismatic crystals & parallel groups | |
| Colour: | black | |
| Description: | Crystals and groups reached “remarkable size”. Yale has crystals and groups to over 10 cm. 500 pounds were mined between 1880-90. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi.(1976). Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Cameron et al (1954). USGS Prof Paper 255. | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Columbite-(Fe) from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| 'Cymatolite' |  | |
| Habit: | pseudomorphs after spodumene | |
| Colour: | white to pale gray | |
| Description: | oriented intergrowth of very fine-grained, elongated albite and muscovite. Grains are oriented perpendicular to the spodumene c axis and give a columnar, silky appearance to the inside of a fractured specimen. Crystals pseudomorphs after spodumene at Yale to 32 x 70 cm. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1880); Shainin, V., 1946, The Branchville Pegmatite, American Mineralogist, v. 31, p. 329-345.; USGS Prof Paper 255; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: Cymatolite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Dickinsonite-(KMnNa) (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | {KNa}{Mn2+◻}{Ca}{Na3}{Mn2+13}{Al}(PO4)12(OH)2 | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | foliated crystalline masses, almost micaceous, radiating or stellated curved laminae | |
| Colour: | oil to olive green, dark to grass-green | |
| Description: | Intimately associated with quartz, eosphorite, triploidite and rhodochrosite | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); American Mineralogist (1946): 31: 329-345; 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: 671, 718, 855.; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © Van King. Dickinsonite-(KMnNa) from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Eosphorite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | (Mn2+,Fe2+)Al(PO4)(OH)2 · H2O | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | mostly massive, rare prismatic crystals | |
| Colour: | pale pink, grayish-, bluish-, and yellowish-white, white | |
| Description: | Intimately associated with quartz, dickinsonite, triploidite and rhodochrosite. Pink, translucent, prismatic crystals to around 1 cm long show rough striae parallel to the long axis, associated with micro encrusting quartz and apatite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); American Mineralogist (1946): 31: 329-345; 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: 671, 718, 855, 938.; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Eosphorite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Eucryptite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | LiAlSiO4 | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | pseudomorphous after spodumene | |
| Colour: | white to slightly greenish-white or pale gray | |
| Fluorescence: | red | |
| Description: | oriented intergrowth with very fine-grained, elongated albite. Grains are oriented perpendicular to the spodumene c axis and give an indistinct fibrous to columnar structure, this being always at right angles to the adjoining surface of the original mineral. Fractured surface typically has a frosty appearance. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1880); AmMin 31:329-345 (1946); USGS Prof Paper 255; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409; Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © Rob Lavinsky. Eucryptite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Fairfieldite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | Ca2(Mn2+,Fe2+)(PO4)2 · 2H2O | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | foliated to lamellar masses, radiating masses consisting of curved foliated or fibrous aggregations | |
| Colour: | white to pale straw-yellow | |
| Description: | One variety cccurs filling cavities in the reddingite, and covering the distinct crystals of this mineral. It is uniformly clear and transparent, and is highly lustrous, showing entire absence of even incipient alteration. It is generally foliated to lamellar, although sometimes of a somewhat radiated structure. A second variety occurs in masses of considerable size interpenetrated rather irregularly with quartz, and quite uniformly run through with thin seams and lines of a black manganesian mineral of not very clearly defined character. Typically friable to the touch and lacks something of the brilliant luster of the first variety, it also shows greater difference of structure, passing from the distinct crystals to the massive and radiated form. Also occurs in small particles in fillowite and in masses of some size immediately associated with eosphorite, triploidite, and dickinsonite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); 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: 671, 721; NJMM (1957), 78; Lapis (1984): 2: 5.; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © Van King. Fairfieldite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Fillowite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | {Mn2+}{Na8}{Ca4Na4}{(Mn2+,Fe2+)43}(PO4)36 | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | granular aggregates, rare micro rhombohedra in tiny pockets | |
| Colour: | honey-yellow, wax-yellow, also yellowish to reddish-brown | |
| Description: | Reddingite is very commonly associated with fillowite, and in many cases it is not easy to distinguish the two minerals. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); American Mineralogist (1946): 31: 329-345; 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: 720.; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Fillowite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Fluorapatite |  | |
| Formula: | Ca5(PO4)3F | |
| Habit: | hexagonal prisms | |
| Colour: | colorless, white, pale to dark blue-green | |
| Fluorescence: | yellow | |
| Description: | Crystals frozen in matrix are generally subhedral and opaque, generally the paler colored crystals or portions fluoresce much better than the darker color. Micro crystals in pockets in albite can be clear, colorless and euhedral with bright yellow fluorescence that helps locate them. Also chabazite, quartz, and fluorapatite crystallized in cavities in rhodochrosite associated with clove-brown lithiophilite, quartz, fluorapatite, and dickinsonite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1879b); Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255; Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Fluorapatite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Fluorapatite var: Mn-bearing Fluorapatite | ||
| Formula: | (Ca,Mn2+)5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) or Ca5([P,Mn3+]O4)3(F,Cl,OH) | |
| Reference: | AmMin 31:329-345 (1946); USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Fluorite |  | |
| Formula: | CaF2 | |
| Description: | an accessory in the wall zone | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Fluorite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Fluorite var: Chlorophane | ||
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| 'Garnet' |  | |
| Formula: | X3Z2(SiO4)3 | |
| Habit: | trapezohedral pseudomorph | |
| Colour: | rusty | |
| Description: | micaceous, spongy, rusty pseudomorph after an unknown garnet species in the pegmatite | |
| Reference: | Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Garnet from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Goethite |  | |
| Formula: | α-Fe3+O(OH) | |
| Habit: | pseudomorphous after pyrite | |
| Colour: | brown | |
| Description: | forms pseudomorphs after micro pyrite crystals in cleavelandite | |
| Reference: | Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Goethite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Greenockite | ||
| Formula: | CdS | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| 'Gummite' ? | ||
| Habit: | encrustations | |
| Colour: | yellow | |
| Description: | Material labeled "gummite" in the Yale collection appears as yellow encrustations on cleavelandite and columbite. Portions fluoresce weakly or strongly in SW UV so appear more likely to be uranophane and meta-autunite. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi. (1976). Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Hematite | ||
| Formula: | Fe2O3 | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| | ||
| Formula: | (Fe3+,Mn3+)PO4 | |
| Description: | The cited reference used by Seaman is false. Lithiophilite may be leached and oxidized to purpurite. The process does not materially alter the Mn:Fe ratio of the parent material (Paulus Brian Moore, personal communication). | |
| Reference: | 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: 676; Seaman, 1976. Pegmatite Minerals of the World | |
| ' | ||
| Description: | Despite this mineral's having been widely re-cited after Januzzi (1976) examination of Januzzi's only specimen shows that it merely consists of iron-stained angular albite crystals. The identification, based on the original specimen, was in error, although re-listed in Tschernich (1992). This mineral is NOT mentioned in: Shainin, V., 1946, The Branchville Connecticut, Pegmatite, American Mineralogist, v. 31, p. 329-345. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| 'Hornblende' | ||
| Description: | constituent mineral of the amphibolite bordering the pegmatite mentioned in Cameron et al (1954) | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Hureaulite | ||
| Formula: | (Mn,Fe)5(PO4)2(HPO4)2 · 4H2O | |
| Habit: | short prismatic to tabular, in parallel growth | |
| Colour: | typically white to pink, pale violet to reddish brown and deep orange-red | |
| Description: | Massive, sub-resinous, white to pale material in the Yale collection reminiscent of massive scapolite. Tiny crystals in small vugs. Formed from an alteration of lithiophilite, intimately associated with dickinsonite, eosphorite, fairfieldite, reddingite, fillowite, triploidite. Difficult to distinguish from reddingite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1890); Shainin (1946) American Mineralogist 31: 329-345; 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: 671, 702.; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Hydroxylapatite |  | |
| Formula: | Ca5(PO4)3(OH) | |
| Habit: | elongated hexagonal prisms with rounded edges and terminations | |
| Colour: | pale yellow with frosty terminations | |
| Fluorescence: | none | |
| Description: | Frosty, translucent, pale yellow micro crystals encrusting pocket quartz, cleavelandite, and a much larger, glassy fluorapatite crystal. Originally labeled as calcite, but does not react to HCl, has hardness 5, no visible cleaveage, and does not fluoresce. | |
| Reference: | Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Hydroxylapatite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Ilmenite |  | |
| Formula: | Fe2+TiO3 | |
| Habit: | subhedral tabular | |
| Colour: | steel gray | |
| Description: | mentioned in Cameron et al (1954) as an accessory mineral of the surrounding amphibolite; crude crystals in quartz core of the pegmatite with annite near the contact with surrounding rock (Januzzi collection) | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954): USGS Prof Paper 255; Ronald Januzzi collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Ilmenite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Landesite ? | ||
| Formula: | Mn2+3-xFe3+x(PO4)2(OH)x · (3-x)H2O | |
| Habit: | alteration | |
| Colour: | dark brown | |
| Description: | "Landesite may occur as a dark brown alteration product of reddingite at Branchville." | |
| Reference: | Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Lazulite ? | ||
| Formula: | (Mg,Fe2+)Al2(PO4)2(OH)2 | |
| Colour: | blue | |
| Description: | "(?) This occurrence, unlike the vivianite, was observed embedded in altered rim of amblygonite (montebrasite). Not enough material for positive ID." Januzzi (1994) | |
| Reference: | Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| 'Limonite' | ||
| Formula: | FeO(OH) · nH2O | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Lithiophilite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | LiMn2+PO4 | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | irregular blocky to rounded masses | |
| Colour: | bright salmon, honey-yellow, yellowish-brown to umber-brown | |
| Description: | The anhedral to subhedral masses are typically 1 to 3 inches in diameter and coated with a black alteration. Alteration sometimes has penetrated deep into the mass so that original color is only in the core. Secondary Mn phosphates are associated. Original type material analyzed in Brush and Dana (1878) had Mn/Mn + Fe ratio of about 0.9. Landes (1925) analyzed lithiophilite from this locality and found the Mn/Mn + Fe ratio was 0.72 | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); Shainin (1946) American Mineralogist 31: 329-345; 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: 667, 671, 855, 938.; USGS Prof Paper 255; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2007 Peter Cristofono. Lithiophilite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Magnetite | ||
| Formula: | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 | |
| Description: | as an accessory in a small granite dike cross-cut by the pegmatite | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Marcasite | ||
| Formula: | FeS2 | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Meta-autunite |  | |
| Formula: | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6-8H2O | |
| Habit: | flakes and coatings | |
| Colour: | pale yellow | |
| Fluorescence: | green | |
| Description: | "autunite" mentioned as an accessory by Cameron et al (1954), but probably dehydrated to meta-autunite. Material labeled "gummite" in the Yale collection appears identical to other specimens labeled "autunite". | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Meta-autunite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Metaswitzerite ? | ||
| Formula: | Mn3(PO4)2 · 4H2O | |
| Description: | Januzzi reported it as switzerite, which dehydrates to metaswitzerite according to Zanazzi (1986). Januzzi reference provides no details. | |
| Reference: | Deyhdration from switzerite cf. Zanazzi et al. (1986), Amer. Mineral. 71, 1224-8. Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State, p.235. | |
| Metatorbernite | ||
| Formula: | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 8H2O | |
| Habit: | flakes to tabular, square prisms | |
| Colour: | green | |
| Description: | "torbernite" mentioned as an accessory by Cameron et al (1954), but probably dehydrated to metatorbernite | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Microcline |  | |
| Formula: | KAlSi3O8 | |
| Habit: | prismatic, anhedral, rarely pseudomorphous after spodumene | |
| Colour: | grayish white to light buff-brown, yellow | |
| Fluorescence: | red, pale blue | |
| Description: | Perthitic crystals 1 to 5 feet long, some partly replaced and veined with albite and other minerals. Pocket crystals uncommon but typically etched and partly replaced/overgrown by albite. Rarely as a yellow, granular pseudomorph after spodumene | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954); Brush and Dana (1880) | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Microcline from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Microlite Group |  | |
| Habit: | octahedral | |
| Colour: | dark brown | |
| Description: | "small, dark brown, octahedral crystals in albite (cleavelandite)" | |
| Reference: | Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Microlite Group from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Mitridatite | ||
| Formula: | Ca2Fe3+3(PO4)3O2 · 3H2O | |
| Habit: | coatings | |
| Colour: | greenish yellow | |
| Description: | Greenish yellow coatings on the phosphate minerals in the Yale collection, some are labeled as mitridatite. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Montebrasite |  | |
| Formula: | LiAl(PO4)(OH) | |
| Habit: | massive and columnar or blocky subhedral | |
| Colour: | white | |
| Description: | Penfield's 1879 analysis of a Branchville specimen showed an OH:F ratio of 1.02, making this specimen montebrasite as now defined. Many references are not specific to species, back then all of the massive lithium phosphate of this series was generically called "amblygonite". It is now known that the amblygonite species is incredibly uncommon even in localities which have fluorite, massive fluorapatite, and topaz. Therefore, specimens from this locality are most likely montebrasite. | |
| Reference: | Penfield, Samuel L. (1879): On the Chemical Compositon of Amblygonite. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol 18, pp. 295-301. | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Montebrasite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Montmorillonite | ||
| Formula: | (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2 · nH2O | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Muscovite |  | |
| Formula: | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 | |
| Habit: | pseudohexagonal tabular prisms, curved subparallel aggregates (ballpeen habit) | |
| Colour: | silver, gray | |
| Description: | The "ball peen" habit of radiating, curved crystals is particularly well developed. Tabular crystals range from 1 to 24 inches in diameter and 1/8 to 12 inches in thickness. Most of the books are about 5 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. About 15 percent of the muscovite visible in the wall zone is pseudomoorphed by what appears to be albite and quartz. Perfect pseudomorphs after muscovite have been formed. The replacement was limited to certain parts of the zone; these are irregular in outline and appear distributed without relation to the original structural or mineralogical features of the zone. Within these parts practically all the muscovite adjacent to the wall rock contact, including that in the border zone, has been replaced, but mica in the inner one-third or one-fourth of the wall zone is mostly unaffected. Large books that extend across the full thickness of the zone grade from unaltered muscovite in the inner part to pseudomorphs in the outer part. | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255; Shainin (1946); Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Muscovite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| | ||
| Description: | Brush and Dana (1878) (first paper) state that they found "a hydro-mica near damourite having a peculiar concentric spherical structure" [emphasis added]. They did not actually identify damourite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878) first paper | |
| Natrophilite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | NaMn2+PO4 | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | massive, local alterations within lithiophilite | |
| Colour: | deep, wine-yellow | |
| Description: | Small regions within lithiophilite nodules. Description of type material from Brush and Dana (1890): "The luster is brilliant resinous to nearly adamantine; it was, in fact, the brilliancy of the luster which first attracted our attention, and which is, so far as the eye is concerned, its most distinguishing character. The mineral itself is perfectly clear and transparent, but the masses are much fractured and rifted. The surfaces are often covered by a very thin scale of an undetermined mineral, having a fine fibrous form, a delicate yellowish color and silky luster. This same mineral penetrates the masses wherever there is a fracture surface of cleavage or otherwise. What the exact nature of this mineral is we are unable to say, since the amount is too small to admit of a satisfactory determination - it appears to be a manganesian phosphate. It is evidently an alteration-product and would seem to imply that natrophilite is rather subject to easy chemical change. In any case this silky film is one of the characteristic features of the mineral, and directs attention to it at once even over the surface of a hand specimen where it is associated with lithiophilite and perhaps three or four other of these phosphates." | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1890); Shainin (1946): American Mineralogist 31: 329-345; 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: 671.; Am Min 50:1096-1097; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © Van King. Natrophilite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Opal var: Opal-AN | ||
| Formula: | SiO2 · nH2O | |
| Description: | "Excellent specimens have been found" Januzzi (1994) | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Phosphuranylite | ||
| Formula: | (H3O)3KCa(UO2)7(PO4)4O4 · 8H2O | |
| Reference: | 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: 876; Januzzi (1976) Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern New York State | |
| Purpurite |  | |
| Formula: | (Mn3+,Fe3+)PO4 | |
| Habit: | encrustations, coatings | |
| Colour: | purple | |
| Description: | "Supergene alteration resulted in the formation of manganese oxide and purpurite from lithiophilite" Shainin (1946). Yale collection has a few specimens that show purple coating on black exterior of altered lithiophilite nodules. | |
| Reference: | Shainin (1946): AmMin 31:329-345 | |
| Photo: Purpurite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Pyrite |  | |
| Formula: | FeS2 | |
| Description: | an accessory in the wall zone | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Pyrite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| | ||
| Formula: | MnO2 | |
| Description: | No manganese dendrite or staining in a granite pegmatite in the world has been verified as pyrolusite. The name was a mistake in the nineteenth century which has been widely publicized. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Pyromorphite ? | ||
| Formula: | Pb5(PO4)3Cl | |
| Description: | Januzzi reports micros occur in cavities in cleavelandite associated with bismutite, wulfenite and cerussite. An inspection of his surviving material so far has not revealed this mineral, but there are yellow coatings associated with the above minerals that are more likely a secondary bismuth mineral. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Quartz |  | |
| Formula: | SiO2 | |
| Habit: | massive | |
| Colour: | clear to smoky | |
| Description: | thousands of tons of massive material mined, but crystals limited to micros in small pockets with albite. Also chabazite, quartz, and apatite crystallized in cavities in rhodochrosite associated with clove-brown lithiophilite, quartz, apatite, and dickinsonite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1879); Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Quartz from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Quartz var: Rose Quartz |  | |
| Habit: | massive | |
| Colour: | pink | |
| Reference: | Ted Johnson collection | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Rose Quartz from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Quartz var: Smoky Quartz |  | |
| Formula: | SiO2 | |
| Reference: | USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Smoky Quartz from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Reddingite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | (Mn2+,Fe2+)3(PO4)2 · 3H2O | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | bipyramidal, pseudo-octahedral - in tiny pockets in massive material | |
| Colour: | pale rose-pink to yellowish-white, sometimes brown | |
| Description: | From the type material description in Brush and Dana (1878): "Reddingite occurs sparingly in minute octahedral crystals; belonging to the orthorhombic system. It is also found more generally massive with granular structure; it is associated with dickinsonite, and sometimes with triploidite. As compared with the other species which have been described it is a decidedly rare mineral. The massive mineral shows a distinct cleavage in one plane...crystals are occasionally coated dark from surface alteration" Difficult to distinguish from pink hureaulite or yellowish fillowite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); Shainin (1946): American Mineralogist 31: 329-345; 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: 702, 729.; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © Van King. Reddingite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Rhodochrosite |  | |
| Formula: | MnCO3 | |
| Habit: | cleavable masses | |
| Colour: | white to pink | |
| Description: | Associated with eosphorite, dickinsonite, triploidite, quartz, also included in lithiophilite. Also chabazite, quartz, and fluorapatite crystallized in cavities in rhodochrosite associated with clove-brown lithiophilite, quartz, apatite, and dickinsonite. Typically with black alteration crust. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878b, 1879a, 1879b); Shainin (1946): American Mineralogist 31: 329-345; 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: 718, 855, 938. | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Rhodochrosite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Samarskite-(Y) |  | |
| Formula: | (Y,Fe3+,Fe2+,U,Th,Ca)2(Nb,Ta)2O8 | |
| Habit: | massive | |
| Colour: | black | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Samarskite-(Y) from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Schorl |  | |
| Formula: | Na(Fe2+3)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) | |
| Reference: | No reference listed | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Schorl from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Sicklerite ? | ||
| Formula: | Li1-x(Mn3+xMn2+1-x)PO4 | |
| Description: | a potential alteration product of lithiophilite and purpurite | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Spessartine ? |  | |
| Formula: | Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3 | |
| Description: | Many references include "garnet" but none give a specific species except Januzzi who provides no analyses. Spessartine is possible given the abundance of Mn minerals in this pegmatite, but so far it is unconfirmed. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Spessartine from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Sphalerite |  | |
| Formula: | ZnS | |
| Habit: | massive | |
| Colour: | maroon to black | |
| Description: | Massive, resinous micro material in cleavelandite. | |
| Reference: | Januzzi. (1976). Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Sphalerite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Spodumene |  | |
| Formula: | LiAlSi2O6 | |
| Habit: | subhedral prisms, flattened parallel to a {100}, with dome terminations | |
| Colour: | white to peach | |
| Description: | rarely as gemmy kunzite, usually white. The prisms average 1 foot long, 6 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick but can reach up to 3 or 4 feet long and 8 to 9 inches thick. Much of it is altered to an albite/eucryptite parallel intergrowth mixture, to "cymatolite" (a parallel intergrowth mixture or albite and muscovite), to granular microcline, or to massive albite and muscovite - or a progressive combination of these replacements. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1880); Shainin (1946); Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © AK2008. Spodumene from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Spodumene var: Kunzite |  | |
| Habit: | generally broad or flat, and comparatively thin; well terminated by dome | |
| Colour: | rose-pink or amethystine-purple | |
| Description: | Usually in the unaltered core of externally altered cyrstals and only very rarely transparent. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1880); Rocks & Minerals. Vol. 70. No. 6; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Kunzite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Staurolite ? | ||
| Formula: | (Fe2+,Mg,Zn)1.5-2Al9(SiO4)4O6(OH,O)2 | |
| Description: | mentioned as an accessory by Brush and Dana (1878) | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878) | |
| 'Stilbite' | ||
| Habit: | radiating sheaves | |
| Description: | occurring on the surfaces of seams in cleavelandite | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| | ||
| Formula: | (Mn,Fe)3(PO4)2 · 7H2O | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State, p.235. | |
| Tantalite-(Mn) | ||
| Formula: | MnTa2O6 | |
| Habit: | subhedral prismatic micro crystals | |
| Colour: | maroon | |
| Description: | Comstock (1880) analyzed scant material found by Brush and Dana with a gravity of 6.5, almost no Fe, and niobium to tantalum atomic ratio of 1:1.04 making it just barely tantalite-(Mn). Maroon, translucent micro crystals in cleavelandite. | |
| Reference: | Comstock (1880): Analyses of some American Tantalates | |
| Titanite | ||
| Formula: | CaTi(SiO4)O | |
| Description: | an accessory in the surrounding amphibolite | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Torbernite | ||
| Formula: | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O | |
| Description: | "torbernite" mentioned as an accessory by Cameron et al (1954), but probably dehydrated to metatorbernite | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) | |
| 'Tourmaline var: Verdelite' | ||
| Colour: | green | |
| Description: | "green tourmaline" mentioned by Cameron et al (1954) in the border zone of the pegmatite. | |
| Reference: | Cameron et al (1954) | |
| | ||
| Formula: | (Mn2+,Fe2+)2(PO4)(F,OH) | |
| Description: | Brush and Dana (1878) established the presence of triploidite and compared it to triplite but noted the absence of fluorine. In 4 detailed papers on the various Mn phosphates they do not mention that triplite actually occurs there. | |
| Reference: | American Mineralogist (1946): 31: 329-345; 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: 851. | |
| Triploidite (TL) |  | |
| Formula: | (Mn2+,Fe2+)2(PO4)(OH) | |
| Type Locality: | Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine; Smith Mine), Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | |
| Habit: | divergent to parallel-fibrous to columnar crystalline aggregates, compact, massive. rarely prismatic | |
| Colour: | yellowish to reddish-brown, topaz- to wine-yellow, hyacinth-red | |
| Description: | mostly columnar, fibrous, radiating, rare isolated but typically vitreous and transparent crystals to a length of an inch or more. Associated with quartz and the other Mn phosphates and rhododchrosite. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); Shainin (1946): American Mineralogist 31: 329-345; 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: 671, 855, 938.; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © Rob Lavinsky. Triploidite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Uraninite |  | |
| Formula: | UO2 | |
| Habit: | octahedral | |
| Colour: | black | |
| Description: | uraninite "in brilliant black octahedrons" associated with lithiophilite, fluorapatite, garnet, uranium phosphates, and cyrtolite. Crystals used in several early radiometric daughter product and age dating studies. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1879); Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409 | |
| Photo: © 2011 Harold Moritz. Uraninite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Uranophane |  | |
| Formula: | Ca(UO2)2[HSiO4]2 · 5H2O | |
| Habit: | encrustations | |
| Colour: | pale yellow | |
| Description: | mentioned by Brush and Dana (1879) as "a silicate containing uranium". Specimens labeled "gummite" and "autunite" in the Yale collections are similar appearing coatings on cleavelandite and columbite. Portions fluoresce strongly and weakly under SW UV and so are more likely meta-autunite and uranophane, respectively. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1879); Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Uranophane from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Vivianite |  | |
| Formula: | Fe2+3(PO4)2 · 8H2O | |
| Habit: | coatings, micro prismatic crystals | |
| Colour: | blue, greenish-blue | |
| Description: | In thin layers as an alteration of lithiophilite and reddingite and as micro crystals, minute amounts. Some seen on altered lithiophilite nodules in the Yale collection. | |
| Reference: | Brush and Dana (1878); Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Vivianite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Wulfenite |  | |
| Formula: | Pb(MoO4) | |
| Habit: | pyramidal | |
| Colour: | orange-yellow | |
| Description: | micro-wulfenite occurs in cavities in cleavelandite associated with bismutite, pyromorphite and cerussite | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Photo: © 2012 Harold Moritz. Wulfenite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
| Xanthoxenite ? | ||
| Formula: | Ca4Fe3+2(PO4)4(OH)2 · 3H2O | |
| Description: | may occur associated with lithiophilite | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State, p.275; Januzzi (1994) Mineral Data Book | |
| Zircon | ||
| Formula: | ZrSiO4 | |
| Reference: | USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Zircon var: Cyrtolite |  | |
| Formula: | Zr[(SiO4),(OH)4] | |
| Habit: | aggregates | |
| Colour: | dark brown to black | |
| Description: | pure aggregates surrounded by smoky, fractured quartz; or aggregates with quartz and muscovite in the cores of radiating cleavelandite | |
| Reference: | Januzzi, 1976. Mineral Localities of CT and Southeastern NY State; Cameron et al (1954) USGS Prof Paper 255 | |
| Photo: Cyrtolite from Fillow Quarry, Branchville, Town of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA | ||
93 entries listed. 65 valid minerals. 9 type localities (valid minerals). 7 erroneous literature entries.
References
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1878a): Notice of three new Phosphates from Fairfield County, Connecticut. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 15, pgs 398-399.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1878b): Notice of a fourth new Phosphate from Fairfield Co., Connecticut. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 15, pgs 481-2.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1878c): On a new and remarkable mineral locality in Fairfield County, Connecticut; with a description of several new species occurring there. First Paper. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 16, pp. 33-46, 114-123.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1879a): On the Mineral Locality in Fairfield County, Connecticut, with the description of two additional new species. Second Paper. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 17, pp. 359-368.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1879b): On the Mineral Locality in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Third Paper. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 18, pp. 45-50.
Penfield, Samuel L. (1879): On the Chemical Compositon of Amblygonite. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol 18, pp. 295-301.
Comstock, W. J. (1880): Analyses of Some American Tantalates. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 19, pp. 131-2.
Comstock, W. J. (1880): On the chemical composition of the uraninite from Branchville, Connecticut. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 19, pp. 220-222.
Penfield, Samuel L. (1880): Analyses of some Apatites containing Manganese. American Journal of Science. Vol. 19, pp. 367-369.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1880): On the Mineral Locality at Branchville, Connecticut: Fourth Paper. Spodumene and the results of its Alteration. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 20, pp. 257-285.
Penfield, Samuel L. (1883): Analyses of two varieties of lithiophilite (manganese triphyllite). American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 26, p. 176.
Brush, George J., Edward S. Dana, and Horace L. Wells. (1890): On the Mineral Locality at Branchville, Connecticut: Fifth Paper; With analyses of several manganese phosphates. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 39, pp. 210-216.
Hillebrand, W. F. (1890): On the occurrence of nitrogen in uraninite and on the composition of uraninite in general. American Journal of Science. Series 3, vol. 40, p. 384-394.
Boltwood, B. B. (1907): On the ultimate disintegration products of the radioactive elements. American Journal of Science. Series 4, vol. 23, pp.78-88.
Schairer, John F. (1931): Minerals of Connecticut. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Bulletin 51.
Elwell, Wilbur. (1937): Some Old Localities in Connecticut. Rocks and Minerals, vol 12, no. 9, pp. 270-1.
Cameron, E N.; Larrabee, D. M.; McNair, A. H.; Page, J. J.; Shainin, V E.; and Stewart, G. W. (1945): Structural and economic characteristics of New England mica deposits. Economic Geology. 40:369-393.
Shainin, V. (1946): The Branchville, Connecticut, Pegmatite (American Mineralogist 31:329-345).
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: 851, 876, 938.
Sohon, Julian A. (1951): Connecticut Minerals. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Bulletin 77.
Cameron, Eugene N., Larrabee David M., McNair, Andrew H., Page, James T., Stewart, Glenn W., and Shainin, Vincent E. (1954): Pegmatite Investigations 1942-45 New England; USGS Professional Paper 255.
Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1957): 78.
Januzzi, Ronald E. (1959): The Minerals of Western Connecticut and Southeastern New York. The Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Jones, Robert W. Jr., (1960): Luminescent Minerals of Connecticut, A Guide to Their Properties and Locations. Fluorescent House. Branford, Connecticut.
Schooner, Richard. (1961): The Mineralogy of Connecticut. Fluorescent House, Branford, Connecticut.
Henderson, William A., Jr. (1975): The Bertrandites of Connecticut. The Mineralogical Record, Volume 6, Number 3, pages 114-123.
errors listed in Januzzi and Seaman (1976): Mineral Localities of Connecticut and Southeastern New York State and Pegmatite Minerals of the World. The Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Ryerson, Kathleen H. (1976): Rock Hound’s Guide to Connecticut. Pequot Press.
Marcin, Edward J. (1981): Branchville, Fairfield County, Connecticut: A Classic Mineral Locality. Rocks and Minerals, Vol. 56, No. pp. 67-69.
Lapis (1984): 2: 5.
Zanazzi et al. (1986): Deyhdration from switzerite cf. American Mineralogist 71:1224-1228.
minerals listed in error in Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World. Geoscience Press, Phoenix. p. 114.
Januzzi, Ronald. E. (1994): Mineral Data Book - Western Connecticut and Environs. Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Weber, Marcelle H. and Earle C. Sullivan. (1995): Connecticut Mineral Locality Index. Rocks & Minerals (Connecticut Issue): 70(6) (November/December): 396.
Januzzi, Ronald E. (1997): The Branchville Quarry and the Dickinson/Fillow Controversy. The Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Vajdak, Josef. (1999): New Mineral Finds in the First Half of 1999. Mineral News, vol. 15, no. 7, pp. 2, 4.
Vajdak, Josef. (2000): New Mineral Finds in the Second Half of 2000. Mineral News, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 1, 4, 5.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1878b): Notice of a fourth new Phosphate from Fairfield Co., Connecticut. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 15, pgs 481-2.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1878c): On a new and remarkable mineral locality in Fairfield County, Connecticut; with a description of several new species occurring there. First Paper. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 16, pp. 33-46, 114-123.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1879a): On the Mineral Locality in Fairfield County, Connecticut, with the description of two additional new species. Second Paper. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 17, pp. 359-368.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1879b): On the Mineral Locality in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Third Paper. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 18, pp. 45-50.
Penfield, Samuel L. (1879): On the Chemical Compositon of Amblygonite. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol 18, pp. 295-301.
Comstock, W. J. (1880): Analyses of Some American Tantalates. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 19, pp. 131-2.
Comstock, W. J. (1880): On the chemical composition of the uraninite from Branchville, Connecticut. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 19, pp. 220-222.
Penfield, Samuel L. (1880): Analyses of some Apatites containing Manganese. American Journal of Science. Vol. 19, pp. 367-369.
Brush, George J. and Edward S. Dana. (1880): On the Mineral Locality at Branchville, Connecticut: Fourth Paper. Spodumene and the results of its Alteration. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 20, pp. 257-285.
Penfield, Samuel L. (1883): Analyses of two varieties of lithiophilite (manganese triphyllite). American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 26, p. 176.
Brush, George J., Edward S. Dana, and Horace L. Wells. (1890): On the Mineral Locality at Branchville, Connecticut: Fifth Paper; With analyses of several manganese phosphates. American Journal of Science. Series 3, Vol. 39, pp. 210-216.
Hillebrand, W. F. (1890): On the occurrence of nitrogen in uraninite and on the composition of uraninite in general. American Journal of Science. Series 3, vol. 40, p. 384-394.
Boltwood, B. B. (1907): On the ultimate disintegration products of the radioactive elements. American Journal of Science. Series 4, vol. 23, pp.78-88.
Schairer, John F. (1931): Minerals of Connecticut. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Bulletin 51.
Elwell, Wilbur. (1937): Some Old Localities in Connecticut. Rocks and Minerals, vol 12, no. 9, pp. 270-1.
Cameron, E N.; Larrabee, D. M.; McNair, A. H.; Page, J. J.; Shainin, V E.; and Stewart, G. W. (1945): Structural and economic characteristics of New England mica deposits. Economic Geology. 40:369-393.
Shainin, V. (1946): The Branchville, Connecticut, Pegmatite (American Mineralogist 31:329-345).
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: 851, 876, 938.
Sohon, Julian A. (1951): Connecticut Minerals. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Bulletin 77.
Cameron, Eugene N., Larrabee David M., McNair, Andrew H., Page, James T., Stewart, Glenn W., and Shainin, Vincent E. (1954): Pegmatite Investigations 1942-45 New England; USGS Professional Paper 255.
Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1957): 78.
Januzzi, Ronald E. (1959): The Minerals of Western Connecticut and Southeastern New York. The Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Jones, Robert W. Jr., (1960): Luminescent Minerals of Connecticut, A Guide to Their Properties and Locations. Fluorescent House. Branford, Connecticut.
Schooner, Richard. (1961): The Mineralogy of Connecticut. Fluorescent House, Branford, Connecticut.
Henderson, William A., Jr. (1975): The Bertrandites of Connecticut. The Mineralogical Record, Volume 6, Number 3, pages 114-123.
errors listed in Januzzi and Seaman (1976): Mineral Localities of Connecticut and Southeastern New York State and Pegmatite Minerals of the World. The Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Ryerson, Kathleen H. (1976): Rock Hound’s Guide to Connecticut. Pequot Press.
Marcin, Edward J. (1981): Branchville, Fairfield County, Connecticut: A Classic Mineral Locality. Rocks and Minerals, Vol. 56, No. pp. 67-69.
Lapis (1984): 2: 5.
Zanazzi et al. (1986): Deyhdration from switzerite cf. American Mineralogist 71:1224-1228.
minerals listed in error in Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World. Geoscience Press, Phoenix. p. 114.
Januzzi, Ronald. E. (1994): Mineral Data Book - Western Connecticut and Environs. Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Weber, Marcelle H. and Earle C. Sullivan. (1995): Connecticut Mineral Locality Index. Rocks & Minerals (Connecticut Issue): 70(6) (November/December): 396.
Januzzi, Ronald E. (1997): The Branchville Quarry and the Dickinson/Fillow Controversy. The Mineralogical Press, Danbury, Connecticut.
Vajdak, Josef. (1999): New Mineral Finds in the First Half of 1999. Mineral News, vol. 15, no. 7, pp. 2, 4.
Vajdak, Josef. (2000): New Mineral Finds in the Second Half of 2000. Mineral News, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 1, 4, 5.
External Links
http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp255 (Cameron, et al (1954)
http://diva.library.cmu.edu/ajs/search_adv.jsp (American Journal of Science (19th century) search page)
http://diva.library.cmu.edu/ajs/search_adv.jsp (American Journal of Science (19th century) search page)
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Locality Updated: Lägern (Otelfingen; Boppelsen), Limmattal, Zürich, SwitzerlandFrom Richard Muster, 20th Jun 2013 07:17:08