Celestine (Specimen #100063)

Mineral(s): Celestine, Calcite 

Location: Dundas (South) Quarry, (Lafarge, Canada Crushed Stone) West Flamborough Township, Hamilton, Ontario 

Size: 5.1 X 3.4 x 2.2 cm 

Description:  This specimen from a famous and historic Canadian location is a 'floater’ mass of sparkly terminated and double-terminated celestine crystals. The crystals are small but numerous and are mostly transparent to translucent. The crystals have excellent luster and there is a lilac colour on one end of the specimen caused by included lilac fluorite. This lilac colour is prevalent in some celestine vugs in the old north quarry. These specimens are getting increasingly difficult to acquire – this is an old one collected in the 1970's in what was then called the north quarry (now called the south quarry, immediately adjacent to Highway 5). There is slight bruising at one end and the specimen is generally in very good condition. 

The Lafarge quarry has operated under many names (Lafarge, Redlands Quarries, Steetley Industries, Canada Crushed Stone for over 80 years. The site is famous for celestine, fluorite, galena and calcite. The host rock is Lockport Dolomite and is located on the Niagara Escarpment which extends into the Lockport area of New York state. Mineral collecting has not been permitted at this site for many years and it is considered a ‘closed’ location.