Minerals from Mont St. Hilaire
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AH-011 Serandite
and Eudialyte $90 SOLD
(ex. Ron
Waddell collection)
Demix Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
6.8 x 3 x 2.1 cm.
This interesting mineral specimen features many brown Serandite crystals, which is the rarest of all colors for this mineral, paired with many colorful Eudialyte crystals in a snow-white matrix sprinkled with tiny, needle-like Aegerine crystals. This specimen was collected in the late 1970's before the Demix Quarry became incorporated into the Poudrette Quarry.
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AH-040 Epididymite and Natrolite $175 SOLD
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
5.1 x 6.1 x 6.4 cm.
Of all the mineral specimens in this presentation, this unusual example of a cavernous cluster of Epididymite crystals is my favorite. This striking specimen exhibits an extremely unusual habit for the mineral Epididymite which is present as opaque, blocky pseudohexagonal crystals up to 7.5 mm. covering a formation that appears to be a cast after another undetermined mineral. Whatever the reason for the formation of this unique specimen, I think that it is a must-have for any collector of pegmatite minerals or Mont Saint-Hilaire specimens.
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AH-027 Miserite and Wollastonite $175 SOLD
Poudrette
Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
(ex. Ron
Waddell collection)
11.7 x 6.3 x 4.7 cm.
This very colorful mineral specimen features a large vein of coarsely crystallized, raspberry-colored Miserite surrounded by Wollastonite embedded in a contrasting matrix of green Marble. The mineral Miserite is relatively rare and is not usually found in such high concentrations at Mont Saint-Hilaire. This fine example of Miserite was collected in 1988.
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AH-045 Epididymite
on Serandite $75 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
3 x 2.3 x .8 cm.
This striking euhedral Serandite crystal features many greenish-gray crystals of the rare mineral Epididymite. Even more remarkable is that the Epididymite is present in the form of spheres, a rarely seen crystal habit for this mineral. The Serandite crystal is also double terminated, albeit somewhat crudely on the bottom of the crystal. I think that this specimen is quite remarkable and deserves a place in anyone's mineral collection. This specimen was collected by Mr. Waddell in 1975.
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AH-014 Leucophanite
and Biotite $65 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
specimen
size = 2.1 x 2.6 x 1.1 cm.
crystal size = 7 x 4 mm.
This rare pegmatite mineral specimen features a seven millimeter Leucophanite crystal on a matrix of Albite. While not huge, this crystal is larger than the typical Leucophanite crystals which usually run from 2-5 millimeters in size. The label that came with this specimen indicates that it was collected by Bill Henderson in 1981.
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AH-041
Sodalite pseudomorph after Cancrinite with
Natrolite, Tetranatrolite (TL) and Rutile $45 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
5.5 x 6.3 x 2.3 cm.
This pentagonal-shaped vuggy specimen features a very unusual example of pseudomorphism, even by the standards of Mont Saint-Hilaire. The Sodalite pseudomorph measures 1.5 x 2 cm. and while not a complete crystal, it is nevertheless sharp and distinct with a strong orange fluorescence under LWUV light. The other neat feature of this specimen is that the vug is lined with many extremely fluorescent (bright green in SWUV light) Natrolite crystals up to 1 cm. The outer portions of the Natrolites are dusted with a coating of the rare mineral Tetranatrolite, which results from dehydration of Paranatrolite. Also present are several Rutile crystals up to 2 mm. which are indicated by the red arrow in the photo.
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AH-044 Serandite
with Natrolite, Polylithionite,
Analcime, Aegerine & Rhodochrosite $550 SOLD
(ex. Dr. Steven Chamberlain collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
6.8 x 5.3 x 5.3 cm.
Here we have a superb example of Serandite, the signature mineral from Mont Saint-Hilaire. This Serandite specimen features an assemblage of minerals which include: translucent white Natrolite crystals measuring up to 2 centimeters that exhibit a bright apple-green fluorescence, several well formed crystals of Analcime to 1 centimeter and 1 crude crystal measuring 4 x 3 centimeters, several richly-colored crystals of Rhodochrosite, several groupings of the variety of Mica, Polylithionite, which fluoresce an intense lemon-yellow, as well as the ever-present mineral, Aegerine. This mineral specimen is a veritable all-in-one representative suite of Mont Saint-Hilaire minerals. Good Serandite crystals are hard to obtain these days, even more so, one with such a variety of associated minerals.
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AH-028 Synchysite-(Ce) on Analcime $170 SOLD
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
10 x 5 x 4.5 cm.
This large specimen, upon first glance, appears to be a rather typical-looking cluster of Analcime crystals, but this specimen is much more than that. The dark gray region is composed of hundreds of 0.5 mm. disk-shaped crystals of the extremely rare mineral Synchesite-(Ce). (Ce is the symbol for the rare-earth element Cerium, for you non-chemists out there.) Although some are naked-eye visible, the Synchesite crystals are best viewed with a loupe or a microscope which reveals a sprinkling of minute Pyrite crystals, especially along the edges of the Synchesite disks.
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AH-050 Narsarsukite $100 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
11 x 6 x 8 cm.
This eye-catching specimen of the rare Sodium Titanium Silicate mineral Narsarsukite features a dozen crystals to 2 cm. in a fine-grained Hornfels matrix. The biggest Narsarsukite crystal in this richly included specimen is a dark green grading to lighter green in the center. The matrix of this very attractive specimen fluoresces red under SWUV light. Mont Saint-Hilaire is renowned for producing the biggest and finest Narsarsukites in the world.
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AH-032 Pyrite $25 SOLD
(ex. Ron Waddell collection)
Poudrette Quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada
specimen
size = 5 x 4.5 x 4 cm.
crystal size = 1 x 1 x .9 cm.
Here's
one for you closet Pyrite collectors: a Pyrite crystal on Sodalite Syenite
matrix that includes a section of Hackmanite on the bottom of the specimen
that is both fluorescent and tenebrescent. The phenomenon known
as tenebrescence is the change of color after exposure to direct sunlight
or ultraviolet illumination. The Hackmanite fluoresces orange
under LWUV light, and becomes a deeper violet after exposure to SWUV light
(or sunlight). While the Pyrite is a little rough looking on
the edges, I think this makes for one heck of a $25 specimen.
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