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Becker Quarry (Becker's Quarry), West Willington, Willington, Tolland County, Connecticut, USAi
Regional Level Types
Becker Quarry (Becker's Quarry)Quarry
West WillingtonVillage
WillingtonTown
Tolland CountyCounty
ConnecticutState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
41° 52' 19'' North , 72° 16' 24'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
41.87222,-72.27361
GeoHash:
G#: drkw5qegq
GRN:
N28W40
Type:
Quarry
KΓΆppen climate type:
Dfb : Warm-summer humid continental climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Storrs15,344 (2017)7.4km
Tolland14,891 (2017)7.9km
Stafford Springs4,988 (2017)9.4km
Crystal Lake1,945 (2017)10.9km
South Coventry1,483 (2017)11.6km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Connecticut Valley Mineral ClubSpringfield, Massachusetts36km
Mindat Locality ID:
3713
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:3713:9
GUID (UUID V4):
2f130a59-4a31-4e0b-a291-f19d6562dc46


Most famous for its Tessin habit and sceptered quartz crystals, plus assemblage of magnesite, almandine, pyrite, tourmaline, and free-standing kyanite crystals. As described by Ague (1995), the host rock is a granulite facies mafic gneiss (metagabbro) consisting of anorthite (An70-80), clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene and biotite with accessory quartz, and retrograde magnesio-hornblende and cummingtonite. Hydrothermal vein minerals formed in open Alpine-type fractures that cross-cut the foliation of the bedrock when it was under amphibolite facies conditions - about 15-30 km deep and 500-550 degrees C. The most common assemblage is quartz-almandine-kyanite-magnesite-biotite-albite (An20-40)-ankerite-muscovite. Less common is quartz-almandine-magnesio-hornblende-magnesite-albite (An20-40)-ankerite-biotite. Also in the veins are accessory staurolite, fluorapatite, tourmaline, zircon, ilmenite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite crystals (and rutile not mentioned by Ague). Calcite and pyrite formed under lower P-T conditions much later. Many minerals are coated with a dull gray-green layer of very fine-grained, retrograde sericite/chlorite/clay.

This is an operating quarry and collecting is not allowed without permission, which in recent years is rarely given.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


22 valid minerals.

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 Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

β“˜ Albite
Formula: Na(AlSi3O8)
Habit: equant microcrystals
Colour: white
Description: Formed in the vein assemblages, composition An20-40.
βœͺ Almandine
Formula: Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Habit: trapezohedral
Colour: red to maroon
Description: Pocket crystals with finely striated faces can reach over 7 cm. Compositionally zoned, with up to about 0.2 mole fraction grossular, 0.15 mole fraction pyrope, and 0.05 mole fraction spessartine - more toward the crystals' cores.
β“˜ Ankerite
Formula: Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Habit: rhombohedral
Description: Typical small rhombs <1 cm. Uncertain in the reference if the crystals are true ankerite under the revised definition, or ferroan dolomite, or how to distinguish them from the much more common magnesite.
β“˜ Anorthite
Formula: Ca(Al2Si2O8)
Habit: anhedral
Description: component of the host metagabbro, composition An70-80.
βœͺ 'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Habit: tabular
Colour: black
Description: Mostly as a component of the host metagabbro, but also as euhedral crystals in the open veins to about 1 cm.
βœͺ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
Habit: flat rhombohedra, usually in rosette aggregates
Colour: white to colorless
Description: As rosette aggregates to around 5 mm, a late-forming mineral usually found on top of the high P-T assemblage.
β“˜ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
Description: A rarer accessory mineral in the vein assemblage.
β“˜ 'Chlorite Group'
Colour: gray-green
Description: Very fine-grained alteration of primary minerals, with sericite and clays.
β“˜ 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'
Habit: anhedral
Colour: black
Description: A component of the host metagabbro.
β“˜ Cummingtonite
Formula: ◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Description: Metamorphic retrograde alteration of pyroxene.
β“˜ Fluorapatite
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3F
Description: An uncommon mineral in the open vein assemblage.
β“˜ Goethite
Formula: Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH)
References:
Vandall KingIdentified by Vandall Thomas King: Visual Identification
β“˜ Ilmenite
Formula: Fe2+TiO3
Description: An accessory mineral in the open vein assemblage. As inclusions in almandine.
βœͺ Kyanite
Formula: Al2(SiO4)O
Habit: elongated bladed prisms flattened parallel to (100), solitary or in feathery aggregates
Colour: colorless, gray, light to dark blue blue
Description: As free standing crystals to 5 cm in the open vein assemblage - a rarity in the state, typically with ragged edges and coated/partially altered to gray-green sericite/chlorite/clay minerals, though some are well terminated.
βœͺ Magnesio-hornblende
Formula: ◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Habit: elongated prismatic
Colour: black
Description: Mostly as a metamorphic retrograde alteration of pyroxene in the host metagabbro, but also as an uncommon mineral in the open vein assemblage - a rarity in the state. Crystals to 1 cm.
βœͺ Magnesite
Formula: MgCO3
Habit: rhombohedral
Colour: tan to brown
Description: Small rhombs <1 cm common, but crystals can reach several cm. Much more common than reported ankerite. Iron typically in the range of 0.05-0.30 apfu, though reportedly a few samples have outer rims grading to pure siderite.
βœͺ Magnesite var. Iron-bearing Magnesite
Formula: (Mg,Fe)CO3
Habit: rhombohedral
Colour: tan to light brown
Description: Crystals to several cm. Much more common than reported ankerite. Iron typically in the range of 0.05-0.30 apfu, though reportedly a few samples have outer rims grading to pure siderite.
β“˜ Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Habit: pseudo-hexagonal tabular
Colour: silvery to greenish
Description: Crystals in the open vein assemblage to about 1 cm.
β“˜ 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'
Habit: anhedral
Description: A major component of the host metagabbro.
βœͺ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
Habit: cubic
Colour: pale brassy
Description: A low-temp mineral of the open vein assemblages, typically as druses coating the earlier high P-T assemblage. Rarely as cubes typically about 1 cm, can form complex rosette aggregates to over 5 cm across and 3.5 cm thick.
βœͺ Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS
Habit: tabular pseudohexagonal
Colour: bronzy
Description: A rare accessory mineral of the open vein assemblage. Euhedral crystals to 1.5 cm very rare in Connecticut - this may be the only such locality.
βœͺ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Habit: Tessin habit, scepters, reverse scepters
Colour: colorless to white, smoky
Description: A very common mineral in the open vein assemblage (and an accessory in the host metagabbro). Mostly small <1-1.5 cm crystals with wide variety of complex forms, Tessin and scepters, reverse scepters and combinations. Many are doubly-terminated. Larger crystals can reach up to 7 cm and are typically Tessin habit showing the various steep positive rhombohedra, such as {20bar21}, {30bar31} and {50bar53} and their negative equivalents {03bar32}, {02bar21}, {03bar31} and {05bar53}.
βœͺ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Habit: scepters, reverse scepters, Tessin habit
Colour: smoky
Description: A common mineral in the open vein assemblage. Mostly small <1-1.5 cm crystals with wide variety of complex forms, Tessin and scepters, reverse scepters and combinations. Many are doubly-terminated. Larger crystals can reach up to 7 cm and are typically Tessin habit showing the various steep positive rhombohedra, such as {20bar21}, {30bar31} and {50bar53} and their negative equivalents {03bar32}, {02bar21}, {03bar31} and {05bar53}.
β“˜ Rutile
Formula: TiO2
Habit: elongated, striated prisms.
Colour: red
Description: An accessory mineral in the open vein assemblage, as microcrystals.
β“˜ Siderite
Formula: FeCO3
Habit: rhombohedral
Description: As outer rims of a few analyzed magnesite crystals.
β“˜ Staurolite
Formula: Fe2+2Al9Si4O23(OH)
Description: A rare accessory in the open vein assemblage.
β“˜ Titanite
Formula: CaTi(SiO4)O
Colour: light brown
Description: A rare accessory mineral in the open vein assemblage.
βœͺ 'Tourmaline'
Formula: AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Habit: trigonal elongated, striated prisms with rhombhedral terminations
Colour: black
Description: very sharp, lustrous pocket crystals to several cms. Species likely schorl or perhaps dravite.
β“˜ Zircon
Formula: Zr(SiO4)
Description: A rare accessory mineral in the open vein assemblage.

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
β“˜Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
β“˜Pyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
β“˜Pyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
β“˜Goethite4.00.Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH)
β“˜Ilmenite4.CB.05Fe2+TiO3
β“˜Quartz
var. Smoky Quartz		4.DA.05SiO2
β“˜4.DA.05SiO2
β“˜Rutile4.DB.05TiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
β“˜Magnesite5.AB.05MgCO3
β“˜var. Iron-bearing Magnesite5.AB.05(Mg,Fe)CO3
β“˜Calcite5.AB.05CaCO3
β“˜Siderite5.AB.05FeCO3
β“˜Ankerite5.AB.10Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
β“˜Fluorapatite8.BN.05Ca5(PO4)3F
Group 9 - Silicates
β“˜Almandine9.AD.25Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3
β“˜Zircon9.AD.30Zr(SiO4)
β“˜Kyanite9.AF.15Al2(SiO4)O
β“˜Staurolite9.AF.30Fe2+2Al9Si4O23(OH)
β“˜Titanite9.AG.15CaTi(SiO4)O
β“˜Cummingtonite9.DE.05β—»{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
β“˜Magnesio-hornblende9.DE.10β—»Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
β“˜Muscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
β“˜Albite9.FA.35Na(AlSi3O8)
β“˜Anorthite9.FA.35Ca(Al2Si2O8)
Unclassified
β“˜'Chlorite Group'-
β“˜'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
β“˜'Tourmaline'-AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
β“˜'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'-
β“˜'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Hβ“˜ Cummingtonite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Hβ“˜ GoethiteΞ±-Fe3+O(OH)
Hβ“˜ Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Hβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hβ“˜ StauroliteFe22+Al9Si4O23(OH)
BBoron
Bβ“˜ TourmalineAD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
CCarbon
Cβ“˜ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Cβ“˜ Magnesite var. Iron-bearing Magnesite(Mg,Fe)CO3
Cβ“˜ CalciteCaCO3
Cβ“˜ MagnesiteMgCO3
Cβ“˜ SideriteFeCO3
OOxygen
Oβ“˜ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Oβ“˜ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Oβ“˜ AnorthiteCa(Al2Si2O8)
Oβ“˜ AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
Oβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Oβ“˜ Magnesite var. Iron-bearing Magnesite(Mg,Fe)CO3
Oβ“˜ CalciteCaCO3
Oβ“˜ Cummingtonite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Oβ“˜ FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
Oβ“˜ GoethiteΞ±-Fe3+O(OH)
Oβ“˜ IlmeniteFe2+TiO3
Oβ“˜ KyaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Oβ“˜ MagnesiteMgCO3
Oβ“˜ Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Oβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Oβ“˜ RutileTiO2
Oβ“˜ SideriteFeCO3
Oβ“˜ Quartz var. Smoky QuartzSiO2
Oβ“˜ StauroliteFe22+Al9Si4O23(OH)
Oβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
Oβ“˜ TourmalineAD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Oβ“˜ ZirconZr(SiO4)
FFluorine
Fβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Fβ“˜ FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
NaSodium
Naβ“˜ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
MgMagnesium
Mgβ“˜ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Mgβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Mgβ“˜ Magnesite var. Iron-bearing Magnesite(Mg,Fe)CO3
Mgβ“˜ Cummingtonite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Mgβ“˜ MagnesiteMgCO3
Mgβ“˜ Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alβ“˜ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Alβ“˜ AnorthiteCa(Al2Si2O8)
Alβ“˜ AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
Alβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Alβ“˜ KyaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Alβ“˜ Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Alβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alβ“˜ StauroliteFe22+Al9Si4O23(OH)
SiSilicon
Siβ“˜ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Siβ“˜ AnorthiteCa(Al2Si2O8)
Siβ“˜ AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
Siβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Siβ“˜ Cummingtonite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Siβ“˜ KyaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Siβ“˜ Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Siβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Siβ“˜ Quartz var. Smoky QuartzSiO2
Siβ“˜ StauroliteFe22+Al9Si4O23(OH)
Siβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
Siβ“˜ ZirconZr(SiO4)
PPhosphorus
Pβ“˜ FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
SSulfur
Sβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sβ“˜ PyriteFeS2
Sβ“˜ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
KPotassium
Kβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Kβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caβ“˜ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Caβ“˜ AnorthiteCa(Al2Si2O8)
Caβ“˜ CalciteCaCO3
Caβ“˜ FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3F
Caβ“˜ Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Caβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
TiTitanium
Tiβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Tiβ“˜ IlmeniteFe2+TiO3
Tiβ“˜ RutileTiO2
Tiβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
FeIron
Feβ“˜ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Feβ“˜ AlmandineFe32+Al2(SiO4)3
Feβ“˜ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Feβ“˜ Magnesite var. Iron-bearing Magnesite(Mg,Fe)CO3
Feβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feβ“˜ GoethiteΞ±-Fe3+O(OH)
Feβ“˜ IlmeniteFe2+TiO3
Feβ“˜ PyriteFeS2
Feβ“˜ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Feβ“˜ SideriteFeCO3
Feβ“˜ StauroliteFe22+Al9Si4O23(OH)
CuCopper
Cuβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
ZrZirconium
Zrβ“˜ ZirconZr(SiO4)

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North America PlateTectonic Plate

This page 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

Scovil, J. (1994), What's New in Minerals. Mineralogical Record: 25: 377.
Zagielski, M., and J. Fast. (1994), A new occurrence of almandine, kyanite, and quartz in open veins in Willington, Connecticut (abstract). Rocks & Minerals 69: 136.
Ague, J. J. (1995), Deep Crustal Growth of Quartz, Kyanite and Garnet into Large-Aperature, fluid-filled fractures, northeastern Connecticut, USA. Journal of Metamorphic Geology: 13: 299-314.
Weber, Marcelle H. and Earle C. Sullivan. (1995), Connecticut Mineral Locality Index. Rocks & Minerals (Connecticut Issue): 70(6): 407.
Horowitz, Irving L. (2003), The Remarkable Quartz Crystals of West Willington, Tolland County, Connecticut. Rocks & Minerals: 78(4): 257-261.
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