Minerals from Mont St. Hilaire
The specimens that are presented here represent just a small portion of the suite of Mont Saint-Hilaire minerals assembled by collector Thomas Fitzpatrick. Mont Saint-Hilaire is the largest of 10 plutons located in the St. Lawrence lowlands that are collectively known as the Monteregian Hills. Mont Saint-Hilaire has for many years been a renowned mineral locality. Over 350 mineral species have been found at Mont Saint-Hilaire. Mont Saint-Hilaire is the type locality for 49 different mineral species. The workings at Mont Saint Hilaire originally started out as the Desourdy and Uni-Mix Quarries which were in turn incorporated into the Demix Quarry which has since been incorporated into the Poudrette Quarry. Many of the specimens presented here were originally from the Ron Waddell collection of Syracuse, New York. Mr. Waddell was renowned for his expertise and intimate involvement with the mineralogy of Mont Saint-Hilaire. Many of the rarer species offered here have had their identity verified by Dr. George Chao, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada and later confirmed by Linda St-Cyr Ph.D. of Middle Earth Minerals, who is fast becoming recognized for her expertise and vast knowledge of rare minerals. Quality minerals from Mont Saint-Hilaire are extremely difficult to obtain these days. I hope that you enjoy this mineral offering as much as I have enjoyed studying and preparing them for this presentation.
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AH-042 Analcime
with Aegerine $145 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
7.5 x 5.7 x 5.2 cm.
Analcime crystals, while considered quite common from Mont Saint-Hilaire, are nonetheless one of my personal favorites, especially this specimen. This cluster of dodecahedral Analcimes with its sharply-formed crystals exhibits a bright luster and is extremely attractive and can be displayed many different ways as is illustrated in the photos above. This superb grouping of Analcime is accented by several well-formed Aegerine crystals, which give the specimen an overall aesthetic contrast of colors. This specimen was acquired by Mr. Waddell from Gilles Haineault, who is renowned for his expertise on the minerals of Mont Saint-Hilaire.
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AH-038 Leifite
& Aegerine on Serandite $175 SOLD
(ex. R. Savard and G. Haineault collections)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
3 x 3 x 3 cm.
This lustrous, double-terminated Serandite crystal plays host to a large, inverted cone-shaped crystal of the relatively rare Silicate mineral Leifite attached to one side of the crystal, as well as a flattened spray on the upper termination. The Serandite exhibits an unusual range of coloration from salmon-orange to almost pink, which can be observed as the crystal is rotated 360 degrees. Some of the Aegerine crystals on this specimen exhibit a high degree of luster. This toenail-sized specimen would be an excellent & colorful addition to anyone's mineral collection.
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AH-046 Birnessite
replacing Serandite & Rhodochrosite
with Natrolite, Calcite, Pectolite and Willemite $1,200 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
14 x 7.5 x 5.9 cm.
It is not my tendency to be too long-winded in my mineral descriptions, however, the photos of this specimen are worthy of a thousand words. Don't worry though, I won't carry it that far. This spectacular, large divergent spray of Serandite crystals has partially altered to the Manganese Oxide mineral, Birnessite. These Birnessite-Serandite pseudomorphs are considered among the most noteworthy specimens to occur at Mont Saint-Hilaire. This specimen was collected in 1975, when the best examples of this mineral phenomenon were found. This monumental specimen also features a well-formed cluster of dark yellow Calcite crystals and another smaller cluster of light yellow Calcites. The pair of Calcite clusters exhibits strong fluorescence under both short and long wave ultraviolet light. This specimen also features a 2 x 1.5 cm. cluster of tabular Rhodochrosite crystals that are are almost completely altered to Birnessite as can be seen in the center photo. As is typical with many Serandites, this specimen is liberally encrusted with Natrolite crystals ranging from white to colorless. Among the Natrolite crystals are several Willemite crystals that exhibit both strong neon-green fluorescence and phosphorescence. This amazing specimen was one of the few specimens that were chosen from Mr. Wadell's vast collection of minerals for inclusion in the photo essay authored by Steven C. Chamberlain that appeared in volume 9, number 2 of The Mineralogical Record. A copy of the issue of The Mineralogical Record that the photo was featured in will be included with purchase.
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AH-051 Eudialyte
with Natrolite on Sodalite $100 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
10 x 6.5 x 4.7 cm.
This attractive cabinet-sized mineral specimen features a triumvirate of minerals that are characteristic of Mont Saint-Hilaire. Most prominent are the many blood-red, euhedral Eudialyte crystals up to 6mm in size nestled in vugs of Sodalite accompanied by balls of Natrolite, the latter two of which are intensely fluorescent. The Sodalite fluoresces orange in LWUV light while the Natrolite fluoresces green under SWUV illumination. Eudialyte rarely forms in good crystals, usually it is found embedded in its host rock, rarely showing good crystal faces and even more rarely as complete crystals. This fine specimen was collected by Mr. Waddell in 1977.
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AH-002 Feldspar variety Microcline $125 SOLD
Poudrette
Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
(ex. Ron
Waddell collection)
10.5 x 9 x 2 cm.
This large Feldspar crystal exhibits a satin-like luster and a most unusual extrusion of smaller crystals on one of its side faces, as can be seen in the lower right-hand photo. This specimen exhibits a mottled pink and red fluorescence when illuminated by shortwave ultraviolet light. This interesting Feldspar specimen was collected in 1985.
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AH-030 Dolomite $165 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
7 x 5 x 5 cm.
This dramatic matrix specimen features a multitude of lustrous, apple-green Dolomite crystals in singles up to 4 mm. and a 4 x 2.5 x 1.5 cm. cluster of Dolomite crystals rising from the center of the specimen. These apple-green Dolomites are much sought after & are considered to be quite rare as they were found for only a short time between 1987-1988. This aesthetic specimen was collected by Mr. Waddell in April of 1988.
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AH-029 Dolomite $140 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
9 x 8.5 x 5.1 cm.
This attractive matrix specimen features many clusters of lustrous, apple-green Dolomite crystals in clusters up to 2.5 x 2.5 cm. in size as well as numerous individual crystals to 3 mm. scattered about the specimen. These apple-green Dolomites are much sought after & are considered to be quite rare as they were found for only a short time between 1987-1988.
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AH-003 Siderite, Calcite and Pectolite $250 SOLD
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
8.5 x 7.5 x 5.4 cm.
A matrix specimen consisting of two 3-centimeter rhombohedral Siderite crystals surrounded by several smaller crystals, accented with clusters of grayish Calcite crystals and sprays of white Pectolite crystals. One of the larger siderite crystals has a minor bruise on its corner, which in my opinion does not detract from the overall appearance of this specimen. The Calcite on this mineral specimen fluoresces red under shortwave ultraviolet illumination. While some crystals of Siderite occurring in the carbonate-rich pegmatites of Mont Saint-Hilaire have been found in sizes up to 25 centimeters on edge, this mineral specimen is from a marble xenolith environment which rarely yields Siderite crystals larger than 1-2 centimeter size range, making the rhombs on this specimen unusually large.
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AH-048 Rhodochrosite
& Fluorite on Analcime $80 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
5.5 x 5.6 x 3.3 cm.
This very colorful specimen features an attractive assemblage of minerals. While Rhodochrosite on Analcime is not that uncommon, the fact that there are many small cubic green fluorite crystals associated with it makes this mineral specimen extremely special. Even though this 5.5 cm. Analcime crystal is contacted on the bottom, it presents very well and would make a fine addition to anyone's mineral cabinet.
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AH-001 Siderite,
Pectolite & Zircon $320 SOLD
(ex. Ron
Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
14 x 8.5 x 7.5 cm.
This matrix specimen consists of a 3-centimeter rhombohedral Siderite crystal complemented by several smaller crystals, accented with sprays of white Pectolite crystals and several 6 mm Zircon crystals. The Pectolite on this mineral specimen exhibits a reddish-pink fluorescence and the Zircon crystals fluoresce yellow under shortwave ultraviolet illumination. While some crystals of Siderite occurring in the carbonate-rich pegmatites of Mont Saint-Hilaire have been found in sizes up to 25 centimeters on edge, this mineral specimen is from a marble xenolith environment which rarely yields Siderite crystals larger than 1-2 centimeter size range, making the main crystal on this specimen rather large.
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AH-010 Lepidocrocite
on Aegerine $125 SOLD
(ex. Ron
Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
3.4 x .5 x .5 cm.
A typical blocky Aegerine crystal with a fine drusy coating of the rare hydroxide mineral Lepidocrocite which can be seen in the left-hand photo near the top. Lepidocrocite is most often encountered as microscopic inclusions in Quartz crystals, making this mineral specimen extremely unusual. This uncommon specimen was collected in 1988
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AH-026 Zircon
and Pectolite $200 SOLD
(ex. Christopher Rasmussen collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
8.2 x 5.5 x 5 cm.
This
mineral specimen features an abundance of iridescent Zircon crystals surrounded
by a multitude of finely-crystalized sprays of Pectolite. The
Zircon crystals fluoresce yellow and the Pectolite crystals fluoresce
a light yellow and pink hue when illuminated under shortwave ultraviolet
light.
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