The Beryl Pit, 2.5 km north of Quadeville, 64 km NE of Bancroft, Lyndoch Township, Renfrew County, Ontario   a view of the dumps
	the floor of the cut
	the back wall of the cut

   This is an introduction to the mineralogy of the Beryl Pit. It does not pretend to be complete; many of the minerals listed require confirmation, and great deal of analytical work is required to fully understand the mineralogy of this deposit. Input from Scott Ercit has been essential, and Dick Farmery was kind enough to provide his list of minerals as well.

   The Beryl Pit is located on the south side of Casey Hill, in Lot 23, Concession XV. It is 2.5 km north of Quadeville and 64 km northeast of Bancroft, in Lyndoch Township, Renfrew County, Ontario. The locality is well known; since its discovery a century ago it has produced very large beryl crystals, world class euxenite-(Y) crystals, what are probably Canada's best bertrandite crystals, and a host of other interesting things. About fifty minerals are known from the deposit, but further collecting and analytical work should expand the list to seventy or more, making this one of Canada’s most productive localities.

NEWS: A great deal of analytical work has been done on these minerals by Scott Ercit, which clears up much confusion. Aeschynite and hafnon are out, but some very interesting things are in, and more work is planned, so stay tuned.

Albite NaAlSi3O8

   White platy to solid massive albite is the matrix for many minerals. Attractive rosettes of white blades intergrown with black schorl, to perhaps 20 cm, occur in the floor of the beryl pit. Clear colorless to white tabular crystals, rarely to 2 cm, line vugs. In 1996 a pocket was found with blocky xls to 3 cm, very lustrous and of a very unusual pale blue color. Micro crystals lining vugs have oriented overgrowths of multicolored potassium feldspar on certain faces. Micro crystals occasionally show microscopic inclusions of subhedral brown schorl; and occasionally inclusions of red hematite(?) lining cleavages. Twinning is ubiquitous but requires study, note Sinkankas, "Mineralogy", p.457. The "peristerite" variety of albite is abundant, pale red to white material showing fine blue to golden color play, much is suitable for lapidary work.

Allanite Cerian formula - (Ce,Ca,Y)2(Al,Fe2+,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)   -Ce, or -Y?

   Good tabular crystals, with brown exteriors and vitreous black interiors, occasionally doubly terminated, to 50 mm long and 4 mm thick, occur richly embedded in deep red feldspar with euxenite, fluorite, magnetite, zircon, and in one area titanite.

Almandine - see Spessartine

Anatase (Columbian) TiO2 - 2.88% Nb2O5 (Ercit 1994)

   Graham (1952) describes an unusual specimen of columbian anatase from the beryl pit in the collection of Queen’s University’s Miller Museum. Initially mistaken for columbite, it is a black 90x50x5mm plate embedded in feldspar, with crystalline beryl associated, composed of "many bundles of tiny arrow-head crystals of anatase which are approximately 1/10 mm. long." Analysis showed the plate to be an intergrowth of columbian anatase and magnetite.

Andradite Ca3Fe3+ 2 (SiO4)3

   Identified by Scott Ercitt, (per.com.)

Bertrandite Be4Si2O7(OH)2

   The Beryl Pit has produced what is likely Canada’s finest bertrandite. It occurs as fine small crystals in a variety of habits, usually a few millimeters in size, and almost always interestingly twinned, in vuggy albite. A few exceptional crystals to a maximum of 8 mm have been found. Specimens can be rich, about eighty small crystals were counted in one 2 cm vug! . Bertrandite is also found in small vugs near or directly on the faces of altered beryl crystals, in solid red/pink microcline(?). The largest crystals are found in the vuggy white albite, much smaller crystals of a different twin habit are found in druses on altered beryl. Crystals are usually transparent and either colorless; or pale to bright orange to reddish from included hematite. An unusual habit is as minute sugary veils and coatings of sub-microscopic colorless xls. Pseudomorphs of bertrandite, clays, and mica or chlorite group minerals after hexagonal beryl prisms have been noted, they are soft, sharp replacements of small crystals, to perhaps 5x2 cm. Crystals are occasionally coated with sparkly submicroscopic reddish hematite (lepidocrocite?) flakes, and some have inclusions of orange hematite rings.

Beryl Be3Al2Si6O18

   The Beryl Pit has produced Canada’s largest beryl specimens, which occur embedded in microcline. T.B. Caldwell shipped 1,782 kgs of beryl to Germany in 1927 (Graham), for $175. The company of Canadian Beryllium Mines and Alloys, Ltd., produced about 177 tons of hand-cobbed beryl ore in 1939. While this stockpile has long since been gone, good specimens can still occasionally be found on the dumps, and there are still crystals exposed in the floor of the pit. Spence (1930) states that "There is only one recorded locality in eastern Canada where beryl occurs in quantity in a pegmatite dyke." Anhedral masses occur interstially among quartz and feldspar (Graham, 1952), but are less common than sharp hexagonal prisms. Terminations are very rare, and those noted were unsuitable for measurement (Walker & Parsons). Ellsworth reported crystals up to 90 cm long. Walker and Parsons reported terminated crystals up to 48 by 11 cm. The faces are dull but the interiors can be fairly glassy, in shades of green and greenish blue, and almost colorless. Crystals are opaque to slightly translucent. Fine blue gem grade material is very rare, but a few stones have been cut and are in the ROM. (Hogarth et al., MR V13#4).Parsons (1934) mentions cabochons and facetted aquamarines in his overview of Canadian gem materials. Waite(1945) mentions a 3.1 ct stone, with color and clarity the equal of the best Brazilian. Internal zoning is apparent in some crystals, and inclusions of feldspar, etc, are not uncommon. Ellsworth(1932) notes bent crystals, which indicate that "the dyke has been subjected to severe stress". A. Parsons, 1932, notes an apparently twinned crystal and discusses crystallography. (Though this seems doubtful, per.com., Pete Richards.) Small sharp pseudomorphs, of clay and chlorite group minerals and bertrandite replacing beryl, to 5 by 2 cm, have been found. Hydrothermal alteration has resulted in some crystals showing a curious microscopic acicular form, as noted from Connecticut by Henderson (1965). This alteration released beryllium and produced the typical beryl associates, bertrandite and what is suspected to be bavenite, QUK-19.

	Beryl, variety Aquamarine, 9 cm across Arnim Walter photograph, T. Jokela collection
Beryl, 11 x 8.5 cm Copyright 2002 David K. Joyce

"biotite" K(Mg,Fe2+)3(Al,Fe3+)Si3O10(OH,F)2

   Found as lustrous black cleavages, occasionally hexagonal books to perhaps 5 cm. Perhaps lepidocrocite or annite, as "biotite" is no more. Needs work.

Bismite Bi2O3

   Reported in GSC Annual Report V8, 1895-6, p. 14R (G.C. Hoffmann, 1895)

Bismuthinite Bi2S3

   Reported in Am. Min. V12 #5, 1927. Traill mentions it forming lammellar masses with beryl and cites G.C. Hoffman; GSC, Annual Report, VIII, 14 R. Ellsworth, in his 1927 lyndochite description in Am. Min, states: "There is reason to believe that bismuthinite was also found, as this mineral is recorded as occurring in a dike with beryl in the same township, and Mr. John Sullivan, the discoverer of the dike, some years ago informed the writer that he had found in earlier years a mineral answering to the description of bismuthinite." Ellsworth’s references are Miller, W.G., Rept. Ont. Bureau of Mines, 1907, loc.cit.;  and Walker, T.L., and Parsons, A.L., Contributions to Canadian Mineralogy, 1923, p.34. Confirmed by Scott Ercit, per.com.

Bismutite Bi2(CO3)O2

   Reported in GSC Memoir No.74, 1915. Occurs with bismutite and bismuthinite.

Calcite CaCO3

   Uncommon as small masses filling vugs in red feldspar, or etched colorles needle-like masses. One unusual large cream colored cleavage was found enclosing euhedral schorl and feldspar. See Spence(1930), p. 439 for a discussion of primary calcite in local pegmatite dykes.

Chlorite group?

   Dark green rosettes, under a few millimeters in size found in albite vugs most resemble a member of the chlorite group, perhaps clinochlore.

Clay minerals

   Probably kaolinite and/or others. Common in white albite as vug fillings of various colors and textures; yellow, white and pink, green; compact waxy to loose granular, occasionally with microscopic floater crystals of fluorapatite or schorl embedded; and films along partings in feldspar.

Euxenite-(Y) (Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6

   Confusion has surrounded this mineral for a century. Initially recorded as an unknown columbate by Miller in 1898, described as lyndochite by Ellsworth in 1927, discussed by Graham in 1952 as lyndochite and euxenite-polycrase, suggested to be a Ce,Th, U-poor variety of euxenite by Butler in 1957, and tentatively reclassified by Fleischer in 1966 as a Th, Nd aeschynite, euxenite is perhaps the most interesting mineral to be found in this pegmatite. Not uncommon as small brilliant submetallic embedded masses. Crystals are typically stout prisms, crude to fairly sharp, with dull exteriors and brilliant submetallic interiors, to 5 cm long, found embedded in microcline. Being both metamict and locked in solid feldspar, crystals are exceedingly difficult to remove intact; however, those that have survived are among the world’s finest.

   Graham, (1952) describes a polished section of euxenite-polycrase as "made up of two distinct apparently isotropic phases which are dark gray and medium gray in color.", and further notes that "euxenite-polycrase is commonly found along the edges of columbite plates and that it commonly projects into and apparently replaces the columbite." Masson and Gordon, 1981, mention "lyndochite" containing inclusions of columbite, intergrown with magnetite, forming a narrow border zone on the south side of the dike. Ellsworth, in his 1927 Am.Min. description of "lyndochite", notes in polished section numerous submicroscopic intimately intergrown scattered inclusions of columbite, and says "These microscopic inclusions... are plainly remnants of columbite in process of assimilation by the lyndochite, or perhaps more correctly, in process of transformation to lyndochite when the reaction was interrupted by a change in conditions; such as a decrease in temperature, a change in the character of the mother solution, or perhaps by the depletion of the reacting constituents." Ellsworth dates the "lyndochite" at 1100 million years old.

Fergusonite  ? variable REE Oxide

   Satterly, 1971, mentions one fergusonite sample from Lyndoch Twp and specifically 2 samples from the rose quartz pit, but doesn’t specify the Lot 23 beryl pit. Robinson and Chamberlain, 1982, p. 84, under beryl mention fergusonite in the beryl pit. Traill, 1983, mentions fergusonite from the rose quartz pit, refers to Rose,1960, GSC Paper 59-10.

Ferrocolumbite (Fe2+,Mn2+)(Nb,Ta)2O6

   Ercit, 1994 shows Fe>Mn Macroscopic specimens primarily anhedral to subhedral, occurring as flat discs with concentric markings on feldspar cleavages or partings, and embedded flat masses and blades to a foot across. The average size is 5x5x0.6cm (Graham,1952.) Micro crystals can be superb (ID of these not confirmed.) The beryl pit has "abundant equant columbite" (Ercit 1994) , who goes on to say that it shows little variation in Fe:Mn ratio, but broad variations in structural state - "samples from the wall zone are significantly less ordered than samples from the micropegmatite zone.", which implies that the micropegmatite crystallized later than the wall zone. Columbite is found distributed across several units of the pegmatite, and shows Ti enrichment (Ercit 1994). Ercit also notes that "Some samples from the Quadeville Beryl pegmatite show evidence of exsolution of rutile." Polished section work done by Graham shows two phases, but his analysis work revealed only one mineral. QUK-8, simple tabular black metallic crystals, rarely sharply formed and well terminated, to a few mm, often coated with QUK-4, freestanding crystals in vugs and also minute embedded masses, in vuggy white albite, is likely ferrocolumbite. Noted by Ellsworth in his 1927 Am.Min.description of lyndochite as occurring as intimate scattered intergrowths in lyndochite xls, observed in polished section. QUK-28 is likely ferrocolumbite, perhaps replacing pyrochlore.

Fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F

   Masson and Gordon, 1981, mention glassy green fluorapatite occurring with "biotite", albite, and fluorite in the north wall of the dike at the east end. Minute clear colorless to opaque white hexagonal tablets, under one millimeter across, occurring in vugs in white albite and occasionally as floaters in the clay filling the vugs, were identified as fluorapatite by EDS by Tony Nikischer. Vugs can contain as few as one or as many as thirty of these minute crystals. Crude to sharp hexagonal prisms, colorless, blue, or reddish, a few mm long, are common embedded and in vugs in red feldspar. These fluoresce orangish/yellow under SW UV.

Fluorite CaF2

   Fairly common as masses to 5 cm, shades of purple, rarely an unusual raspberry red, embedded in red microcline, or quartz/feldspar pegmatite. Crystals are very rare, embedded purple dodecahedra(?) from micro to ~15mm. One 5 cm mass found in fall of 1999 is half purple and half white, the white section fluoresces under SW but the purple does not, but a small part of the purple phosphoresces yellow.

Gadolinite ???-(Ce), or -(Y) ?, (Ce,La,Nd,Y)2Fe2+Be2Si2O10 or Y2Fe2+Be2Si2O10

   Spence, (1930), in Pegmatite minerals of Ontario and Quebec; Am. Mineralogist, vol. 15, No.10, p. 442 states: "Gadolinite has not yet been identified with certainity from the Canadian pegmatites. A mineral resembling it occurs associated with cyrtolite in the Lyndoch beryl pegmatite, in Ontario..." The Handbook of Mineralogy (1995) mentions gadolinite-(Y) from Loughborough Twp, Frontenac Co., Ontario.

Goethite Fe3+O(OH)

   Present only in small amounts, replacing pyrite crystals and as extremely minute acicular needles in very thin crusts with hematite spheres. ID not confirmed.

Hematite Fe2O3

   Abundant in small amounts. Found as microscopic black plates; as minute red, black, and silvery balls and botryoidal; as pancakes and rings included within clear quartz, albite, and bertrandite crystals; as internal and external coatings, mixed with pocket clay; presumed to be the inclusion giving red and orange color to bertrandite; creating phantoms in quartz crystals; rarely as oriented overgrowths on quartz crystal terminations; as a red lining of albite cleavages; as tiny rosettes of rounded discs; and as tiny rosettes of very thin black lustrous plates showing red translucency.

Heulandite -Ca, -K, -Sr, or -Na?

   Minute pale yellow transparent crystals, very rarely colorless, rarely reddish from inclusions, usually in tight clusters to ~2 mm of many intergrown xls. Single xls rare, usually subparallel growths, to1mm, found in albite vugs. Easily missed, even at 45x. Often intermingled with green muscovite flakes and white clay. Identified by EDS by Tony Nikischer as an aluminosilicate containing Ca,Ba,K,Na,Mg, likely heulandite. Needs confirmation.

Ilmenite Fe2+TiO3

   Confirmed by Scott Ercit, per.com.

Ilmenorutile - Struverite ? (Ti,Nb,Fe3+)3O6 - (Ti,Ta,Fe3+)3O6

   Rare as small, complex, brittle black submetallic crystals, often iridescent. A particularly fine crystal was analyzed by EDS by Tony Nikischer, who suggested it was ilmenorutile. While the EDS output showed a Ta peak slightly higher than a Nb peak, indicating ilmenorutile, the Ta2O5 and Nb2O5 percentage contents were, respectively, 15.08 and 20.6, indicating struverite. On the surface of this crystal were scattered minute brown lathes identified as vigezzite, also by EDS by Tony Nikischer. Bright black metallic hexagonal prisms are very rare, more common are the complexly twinned equant xls; these are perhaps ilmenorutile and struverite, respectively. Scott Ercit doubts ID, says rutile is more likely.

"hornblende"

   B.C. Freeman, in Mineral Deposits in Renfrew County and Vicinity, 1936, mentions "hornblende" occurring with "biotite" and magnetite in irregular bands in gneissic rock. Found on the dumps in green/black chunks of little interest, some show excellent cleavage. Needs confirmation.

Magnetite Fe2+Fe2 3+O4

   Common as black masses to ~5 cm embedded in red microcline or loose on the dumps. Good sharp micro octahedra are fairly common, usually embedded in red feldspar, rarely freestanding in vugs. Hogarth, Moyd, Rose, and Steacy (1983) describe magnetite ocurring "...as small metacrysts in the biotite gneiss. These metacrysts are marked by light-colored biotite-free halos." Spence (1930) p. 445 suggests that "Much of the apparent magnetite of the pegmatites is probably martite.", ( hematite pseudomorphs of magnetite), but all magnetite tested by the author retains its intense attraction to a magnet, suggesting it hasn’t been replaced.

manganese oxide(s)?

   Black films and dendritic structures are probably a Mn oxide, perhaps romanechite, hollandite, or just Fe oxide hematite?? -NOT pyrolusite, see http://minerals.gps.caltech.edu/FILES/DENDRITE/Index.htm

Microcline KalSi3O8

   Common in shades of red and green, good crystals rarely seen. Lapidary grade green material is common, but is usually pale. Large embedded xl sections, to perhaps 30 cm or more, can be seen in parts of the pit, and Freeman(1936) noted "...large crystal masses up to [2 meters] in diameter of microcline, albite, and quartz."

Molybdenite MoS2

   Very rare, only a few tiny specimens noted so far by the author. Distinctive silvery bluish flakes and masses, some showing xl form, to a few mm, embedded in red microcline with calcite, allanite, magnetite, zircon, columbite(?), etc.

Monazite basically a Nd phosphate with other REE’s - (Nd), -(La), or -(Ce)?

   Rare. Ellsworth reports "One rough wedge-shaped crystal of monazite about 2 inches square by ½ inch thick, and a few smaller ones were found by the author embedded in red microcline near a lyndochite crystal and a smaller cyrtolite mass. The monazite is a dull brown color and has lost its transparency by alteration." A fine 5 cm xl was removed from the pit floor by a local collector around 1998. QUK-6 is probably monazite. Analysis would be nice.

Muscovite KAl2 AlSi3O10(OH)2

   Green to yellowish diamond-shaped xls to a few mm are common in albite and red feldspar vugs. ID not confirmed. Heulandite seems to have an attraction to muscovite fans. Compact green masses with embedded schorl xls, and curious hollow casts also noted(A.Alward).

Opal SiO2 . nH2O

   Clear colorless to milky botryoidal patches to a few mm across, in vugs in granite with highly weathered amphibole masses, only a few specimens known from the dumps. Associates include goethite ps pyrite xls, QUK-22, almost nothing of interest. Fluoresces green under SW UV.

Orthoclase KAlSi3O8

   Reported by D.Farmery. Presumably intergrown with microcline making up the bulk of the pegmatite. Possibly also the K-Feldspar ID’d as epitaxial overgrowths on albite xls, QUK-12.

Phenakite Be2SiO4

   A small find of vuggy albite with micro phenakite on quartz crystals was made in 1996 by the owners. The crystals are simple prisms, their identity was confirmed by the ROM. One bucket of specimens collected. This is only the third Canadian locality for phenakite; it also occurs in Quebec and BC.

"potassium feldspar"

   Epitactic overgrowths on almost every albite crystal lining vugs in massive albite. Opaque, thin, (<1mm) ragged caps on the edges of the clear colorless bladed crystals, of various shades including red, cream, pink, and black.. ID’d by Robinson of the Seaman Museum. Possibly orthoclase, listed by D.Farmery.

Pyrite FeS2

   Uncommon as sharp cubes, to perhaps 1 cm, locked in feldspar. Crystals often altered to goethite, some with relict bright brassy masses of fresh pyrite in the interior. Rare minute brown pyritohedra and octahedra, under 1 mm, altered to goethite, are found in vugs in albite. Also found in the vuggy albite are very rare and unusual cubes with oriented pyramids arranged on the cube faces.

Pyrochlore (Ca,Na)2Nb2O6(OH,F)

   Very rare, as opaque brown octahedra to ~4 mm embedded in red feldspar, faces dull, interior vitreous. Only a couple found. EDS by Tony Nikischer indicates a variable composition, indicating a possible intergrowth of more than one mineral.

Quartz SiO2

   Surprisingly rare in good crystals of any size, usually crude and opaque. Fairly sharp doubly terminated opaque dark brown prisms to 4 cm occur locked in red microcline, interesting but far from aesthetic. Excellent clear colorless micro crystals abundant in vugs in albite, some with hematite ring inclusions; with hematite phantoms; and with unusual exterior oriented overgrowths on the terminal faces. It seems odd that such a famous and abundant pegmatite mineral is so rare in crystals of any size here.

Rutile TiO2

   Uncommon. Typical micro xls, stout heavily striated prisms, with the classic red/brown internal color, were found in vugs and embedded in feldspar. Also elbow twins and curious short prisms, as wide as they are long, nothing over a few millimeters, found in minute calcite-filled vugs in feldspar. Rose, 1960, mentions Ta, Nb rutile. QUK-4 and QUK-18, showing unusual twinning, are most likely rutile.

Samarskite-(Y) (?) (Y,Ce,U,Fe3+)3(Nb,Ta,Ti)5O16

   Reported by R.A.A Johnston, GSC Memoir 74, p.196, 1915. Needs confirmation.

Schorl NaFe2,3+Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4

   Common as masses and prismatic crystals, occasionally of large size. Freeman (1936) noted crystals to 15 cm across, and triangular cross-sections to 5 cm and the imprint of the prism’s striations in quartz, to perhaps15 cm, are still visible in the floor of the pit. Opaque black, but splinters and thin micro crystals are transparent brown. Fine prismatic striated prisms are found embedded in quartz and platy albite, micro crystals found in vugs in albite exhibit a variety of terminations. Rare doubly terminated micro crystals show hemimorphism. Also noted as subhedral microscopic inclusions in albite cyrstals. Crystals occasionally found with bends, indicating a stressful past. Crystals of any size are extremely brittle and difficult to collect intact.

Large black schorl crystal cross-sections exposed in the floor of the Beryl Pit.

Spessartine Mn2,3+Al2(SiO4)3 or Almandine Fe32+Al2(SiO4)3

   Garnet reported by various; Graham, 1952, reports spessartite [sic]. Ellsworth, 1927, Am.Min, notes "A few red garnets in good crystals up to 2 inches in diameter...". Garnet can be found on the dumps in brownish red masses to 5 cm, but very rarely are crystal faces seen. Spence, 1930, p.443, mentions large xls of almandine from here, so the exact  species is in question.

Struverite - Ilmenorutile (Ti,Ta,Fe3+)3O6

   Hogarth, Moyd, Rose & Steacy, 1983, report struverite as an accessory mineral. Struverite forms a series with ilmenorutile, see that entry for more info. A metallic mass identified as struverite was collected on a field trip by the Grand Valley State University of Allendale, MI, and x-rayed by geology department of same. Per.comm., Thomas Bee

Thorite (Th,U)SiO4

   Confirmed by Scott Ercit, per.com.

Titanite CaTiSiO5

   Found as embedded brown crystals to from a few millimeters to perhaps 3 cm, often showing the classic "envelope" shape; embedded in red microcline with allanite, magnetite, zircon, etc. Curious rare granular pseudomorphs, hollow embedded crystal cross sections filled with various minerals, found in red feldspar on the dumps, are reminiscent of titanite morphology.

Vigezzite (Ca,Ce)(Nb,Ta,Ti)2O6

   Sharp tabular brown to yellowish crystals, extremely small (<1 mm), are found in albite vugs, commonly scattered upon and/or densely coating ilmenorutile or columbite crystals. EDS analysis by Tony Nikischer of simple flattened orthorhombic crystals occuring on the faces of an exceptional ilmenorutile crystal identified them as vigezzite. Whether all minute yellow and brown needles in the albite vugs are vigezzite remains to be seen.

Zircon ZrSiO4

   Zircon is abundant, as sharp to rounded simple tetragonal prisms, embedded in red microcline with fluorite, allanite-(Ce)?, magnetite, titanite, and euxenite-(Y). The crystals are small, rarely up to 14 mm long in the authors experience, and at their best are lustrous, translucent brown, with the characteristic crackled, metamict look, and very well formed, making superb micromounts. They fluoresce pale yellow under SW UV. Ellsworth, 1927 Am.Min. notes "...crystal aggregates of zircon or cyrtolite occur the size of a fist." Also found as  highly elongated, minute, tan colored xls, often in bowtie groups, embedded or freestanding in vugs, fragile and seldom complete.

Unknowns

   This is my personal list of unknown species, designated QUK-1 to QUK-28. (The acronym stands for Quadeville UnKnown.) Some have been more or less resolved by EDS analysis, but much work remains. Scott Ercit is looking into many of these, his results will be reported as soon as they are available.

QUK-1

   A single 2 mm clear glassy yellowish cluster in an albite vug with minute red hematite balls scattered over the surface. Possibly intergrown octahedra or tetrahedra. Appears to be represented by a single specimen.

QUK-2 = Fluorapatite (Nikischer)

QUK-3 = Heulandite (Nikischer)

QUK-4

   Black submetallic masses and crude to euhedral crystals to 8 mm locked in matrix and free-standing in albite vugs and red granite. Brittle, iridescent, occasionally showing distinctive cyclic ‘elbow’ twinning typical of rutile. Likely rutile, which is mentioned by Rose, 1960. Ilmenorutile also a good possibility, needs much work. Struverite is a good likelihood as well.

QUK-5 = Vigezzite (Nikischer)

QUK-6

   Brick red glassy massive, somewhat dull faces but brilliant interiors, one tabular xl of 9 mm, locked in matrix of quartz, schorl, magnetite, allanite, zircon, apatite, etc. Collected from left side of pit floor, the dark granite, in 1997. Minute glassy masses, some almost xln, to a few mm, noted with euxenite, allanite, magnetite, etc in rock from the dumps in 99, not uncommon but invariably anhedral and minute. The color is uneven, swirly, and it is extremely brittle, suggesting something metamict. This and the xl habit strongly suggest monazite.

QUK-7

   Extremely thin films of flat-lying sprays of yellow, brown, or red needles, to a few mm, coating partings of red microcline rich in allanite, fluorite, magnetite, euxenite, and quartz prisms. Very rare; found in one small section of the floor near the middle of the cut. Perhaps goethite or vigezzite.

QUK-8

   Simple generally rounded tabular submetallic black crystals and masses; locked in matrix and freestanding in albite vugs. Fresh surfaces are brilliant black, submetallic, weathering to grey, often iridescent. Crystals to perhaps 3 mm, masses can be larger and intergrown with a glassy brown mineral, possibly allanite, fergusonite, or fersmite. A very few sharp xls show simple chisel-shaped terminations or roman-sword terminations. Crystals often show resorbed faces, pitting and can even be skeletal. Freestanding crystals often coated with a dense druse of minute brown needles of what appears to be vigezzite. Almost certainly a columbite series mineral.

QUK-9 = Ilmenorutile/ struverite? (Nikischer)

QUK-10

   Very rare minute amorphous greenish balls, a fraction of a mm in size, included within clear colorless micro quartz xls. Only a few noted so far by the author. Probably a clay mineral or a chlorite.

QUK-11

   Vugs in albite commonly host tabular elongated prismatic crystals, crude, shades of yellow, with altered exteriors and fresh, vitreous brown interiors, relatively large, to perhaps 10 mm. Often coated with what appears to be vigezzite, and intergrown with other minerals. Rarely found as highly aesthetic uncoated, quite fairly sharp, thin, translucent brown tabular xls, terminated and double terminated, sometimes stacked together on the wide faces to produce a larger multi-xl. Morphology suggests allanite or fergusonite.

QUK-12 = "Potassium Feldspar" (Jaszak...+? Seaman/MTU)

   Epitactic overgrowths on almost every albite crystal lining vugs in massive albite. Opaque, thin, (<1mm) ragged caps on the edges of the clear colorless bladed crystals, of various shades including red, cream, pink, and black..

QUK-13

   Rare, opaque brick red tapering, barrel-like crystals and crystal sections in albite vugs, to perhaps 6 mm. Extremely brittle, with apparent good cleavage or parting, appears metamict, hence rarely complete. Undamaged crystals taper to a point, some appear to have a basal termination. Habit suggests a REE-carbonate like parisite?

QUK-14

   Three small, palest yellow glassy incomplete hexagonal crystals to 3 mm, loose and on matrix. Most likely apatite, requires acid check.

QUK-15 - Chlorite group mineral. Clinochlore or chamosite.

QUK-16 - apparently Hafnon

   Distinctively long acicular tetragonal tan to almost white, embedded or in vugs, usually sub-parallel tight sprays, bowties, crackled exterior typical of zircon but odd acicular habit and color. Found embedded and free-standing in vugs, light tan color, xls extremely brittle, likely due to metamictness, and seldom complete. Needs confirmation.

QUK-17

   Generally crude, equant, rounded crystals in albite vugs; tan to brownish, to 3 mm. Faces usually obscured by a thin coat of other minerals, red, yellow, blackish, faces rarely somewhat lustrous, and flat, indicating complex habit. Possibly 24-sided or a variation on a cube-octahedron combination? Zoned, with vitreous brown interior and tannish exterior, often stained, coated. A couple of xls show what appear to be shrinkage cracks. Usually associated with QUK-8, which is probably ferrocolumbite. Under 20 specimens found by the author. Perhaps something from the pyrochlore group, like betafite, microlite, pyrochlore, or uranpyrochlore, which are common in other pegs in the area. Or a weird garnet, but alteration, zoning, crackling metamict nature suggest otherwise.

QUK-18

   Very rare, strange black thin tabular micro xls, crude, resorbed-looking, showing a twin re-entrant on the ends of the crystals indicative of rutile. Occasionally in astonishing ‘wagon wheel’ style twins of asterisk form, sometimes twins resemble a triple V-twin of cerussite. The best specimen shows platy xls and twins growing on vitreous massive brown QUK-11, with numerous fluorapatite xls. Probably rutile or struverite.

QUK-19

   A minute amount of exceedingly fine white to yellowish acicular needles, within what apprears to be a freestanding, hollow, altered beryl, near large beryl in red microcline. Only three specimens known to the author. Likely bavenite.

QUK-20

  Small brown balls, opaque, rough-surfaced, when broken reveal glassy, radiating xln nature, only one vug, containg a number of these, found so far.

QUK-21

   Distinctive black xls to 10 mm, embedded in microcline with euxenite, allanite, magnetite, zircon, molybdenite, fluorite, fluorapatite, etc. Dull black faces, bright metallic when broken. Xls are fine modified rhombic dipyramids, with basal terminations and modified edges. Not extremely brittle like euxenite so crystals can be exposed by prying away the feldspar matrix. A specimen owned by Al Alward was visually identified by Dr.Gorman as aeschynite; Roger Poulin seconds the identification, but analysis is required.

QUK-22

   Distinctive light green minute massive, irregular coatings around "hornblende" cleavages in the titanite, allanite, zircon, and QUK-23 bearing rock found in fall of 1999. Perhaps epidote.

QUK-23

   Superb clear colorless sharp flattened pseudo-octahedra to ~0.5 mm, from tiny vugs to a few mm in granite in a wall zone rich in titanite, allanite-(Ce), and zircon. Weathering turns them cloudy and white. EDS analysis by Nikischer suggests a REE-fluorocarbonate like synchysite, which is extremely unlikely given the morphology. A dead ringer for gismondine, see Tschernich, 1992; ancylite might make sense as well.

QUK-24 = Pyrochlore (Nikischer)

   Brown octahedra to ~4mm, with dull faces and vitreous interior, only a couple found in fall ‘99.

QUK-25

   Very rare brownish/pink clear platey xls to ~0.5 mm, with distinctive high luster and wedge-shaped habit, in yellow clay-lined vugs. Seldom distinct, usually intergrown amongst clay lining. Found in a single peculiar six cm highly weathered and iron stained schorl/feldspar mass on the dumps, 11/99, associated with quartz, zircon, botryoidal brown hematite/goethite, albite and possibly microcline, allanite, magnetite, muscovite.

QUK-26

   Extremely rare, one specimen known. Minute xls, single and in a cluster. Sharp lustrous modified tetragonal dipyramids in vuggy feldspar with albite, goethite ps pyrite, superb bertrandite, quartz, hematite, etc. Likely anatase or very odd distorted magnetite.

QUK-27

   Small masses, to perhaps 4 mm, of a distictive brown color, embedded in feldspar. Not common. Perhaps a Ti oxide?

QUK-28

   A metallic black mineral, masses to perhaps 8 mm and rarely octahedra. Very distinctive finely granular intergrowths with fluorite and a vitreous brown to yellow mineral resembling pyrochlore. Perhaps a columbite series mineral replacing pyrochlore.

Mineralogical History, from Graham (1952)

Ellsworth, (Am.Min, 1927) says Mr. John Sullivan discovered the dike.

1897 - W.G. Miller visits the outcrop and reports a half dozen species

1926 - H.V. Ellsworth examined the property

1927 - Walker and Parsons describe terminated beryl xls

1936 - B.C. Freeman examines the property, describes nothing new.

1943 - J. Satterly visits, describes nothing new.

1952 - A.D. Graham does M.Sc. Thesis on the locality and the rose quartz pit

1994 - G.S. Ercit works on the columbite, published in Can.Min.

1996 to present - phenakite, bertrandite, vigezzite, abundant micro minerals noticed

Production History, from Graham (1952)

1927 - T.B. Caldwell ships 1,782 kg, (4,457 lbs) of beryl to Germany for $175

1931 - Madawaska Syndicate does exploration work

1932 - Madawaska Minerals Ltd supersedes the Madawaska Syndicate, but no record of production by them

1937 - Canadian Beryllium Mines and Alloys, Ltd. obtain the property and the rose quartz pit

1939 - beryl pit opened up to 225' long, 30' wide, and 26' deep, 177 tons of beryl produced by hand-cobbing, which was still present on site when Graham visited in 1952. Intermittent mining.

1950 - 22,840 kg of ore beryl sold from the stockpile (Sinkankas)

Recent history: Run by Wal-Gem Minerals as a fee site, presently owned by AquaRose Gems and Minerals, Box 84, R.R. #1, Palmer Rapids, ON KOJ 2EO, 613-758-1083

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