Thanks for the info Andrew. They are bladed but will see if they intersect as you mention. 

I recently etched this piece out of Calcite from a 50lb or so vein piece I found years ago from the Nova Scotia mine. The veins also have silver, Cobalt, and other Arsenides. I am thinking this is Safflorite, most are botryoidal and some elongated and appear tufted. Help ...

Everyone sees light waves differently, therefore everyone perceives color differently. My wife and I perceive blue in different shades.. We are not color blind at all, the way color is perceived through each our eyes is different, that's all.. For the billions and billions of people out there do ...

Definitely from the #41 roadcut, not the Spain Mine. And of course, no rock collecting signs have been put up there now too!!

Photo 286927 should be in the Davis Lake Corundum page, not Miners Bay.. Andrew.

You're correct David.. It does stand for Rural Route here in Canada as well. If you are ever using a GPS I often see RR #'s along with the road name

Thanks much!! Andrew.

Hello, I need some help on crystallography please. Are these Fluorites just octahedral?? Thanks!! Andrew. Never mind, looked it up on the Fluorite page.. Guess that's what Mindat is for, right!!

Alisha, On a collecting trip a few years back I saw someone use a golf bag cart rigged up with a 10 gallon bucket and all their tool strapped on along the sides.. I thought it was an ingenious idea. Andrew.

Lloyd, I have collected both areas listed on Mindat on many occasions. Truth be told there are calcite veins all through that area. If you keep following Gibson road to the west you will intesect with Bear Lake diggings. I see no problem adding another locality as there are some differences in ...

Hello, I am heading to Sault St Marie, or the Soo as we Canadians call it, to visit my inlaws and would like to spend some of my vacation collecting some copper and assoc minerals. Does anyone know how accurate the GPS coordinates are on Mindat for the Mines in the area? I would like to hit ...

I understand guys, it is hard to tell from the photo but, I assure you the piece has minute Galena present and not Marcasite. Very unusual as it may seem, it's not impossible!! Andrew.

Yes sorry guys, I uploaded that before I actually knew that the Montrose occurrence was an actual occurrence.. Thanks, Andrew.

I'm sure there are some nice Calcites from the Inverhuron area on the shore of Lake Huron.. Some are water clear and twinned, very nice indeed.

A classic mistake. 4WD does not necessarily mean off road.. Some North American vehicles are classed as 4WD but do not have the ground clearance or a proper frame to take those loads as pictured by Bob. Looks like a Mazda MPV minivan of sorts?? How was the outcome Bob??

Could it be be a Muscovite after Corundum? I have a piece from the Burgess Mine that is partially pseudomorphed to Muscovite. Where was it found John??

Jonathan, where abouts in the Falls did you find the piece.. I know the area well, there were a few steel factories in the area many years ago and I know of some areas where slag was dumped.. Andrew.

Well said Michael..

Thanks for the links Ron!! Very interesting to know that these are pseudomorphs!!

Alfredo, According to Sabina Misc report 39, the radioactive Hydrocarbon, Thucholite, occurs as black irregular masses, nodules and cubic crystals up to 25mm along an edge and as veinlets in Feldspar. Also cubic crystals of Uraninite and massive Uraninite can occur in the Thucholite.. So to ...

Okay, I'm getting in on the Uraninite. Three interpenetrating crystals, the largest being 1.5cm from Cardiff Uranium Mine.

Paul, what were you driving a McLaren F-1?? Sheesh, must have been the guards last day on the job or something? LOL!!

For some unknown reason I do not get the new topic icon appearing on the locality talk page, when I am logged in or not?? Anyone have a clue why?? Thanks, Andrew.

Ahh, I always thought that adit was a fairy tale..LOL! Will have to check that out next time I'm up, I guess that would be spring time eh?? Nice pics Chris, hope to get out collecting again next year. By the way, did you put your Betafite pics up yet??

Can't be without a Montrose Occurrence Fluorite!! Crystal is 1.2cm x .75cm

Michael, I believe Mineral Associates Inc is the company John hired to assay his property..Not sure where they are from?? I think they also did some blasting on a spot that has some outcrops of Schorl.. I did see a newspaper clipping in his rockshop of the bast as it was occuring.. I haven't ...

I am confused.. I have a piece from Miners Bay that is a fairly dark green, has been tested and is labeled Tremolite.. I thought color alone could not be a very accurate method of ID for Tremolite/Actinolite from the Haliburton area?? Correct me if I"m wrong.. Michael, if I am correct, is it ...

Keith, WOW!! guess I was a tad off in my estimation of crystal size.. Thanks for the correction, still a nice find.. Where are you going to put that piece?? Andrew.

Hi Maggie, I believe the best find was after the front end loader moved the blast pile around. It was from, I believe his name was Keith from NY state.. He found a large boulder with a big vug.. Inside were two large blue Celestine's.. Jim Glen cut it out for him which, took a while as the rock ...

Hmm, I think I may just trim the piece down as it is fairly large.. There are some good exposed crystals and some not, as well as some nice Molybdenite crystals on the backside.. I'll trim it down to manageable size and leave it at that.. Thanks for the input gents!! Andrew.

John, if the Apatite you are finding is from Ontario or Quebec it's most likely Fluorapatite or Apatite variety.. Andrew.

Thanks for the tips, Reiner and John.. A Dremel may work removing some of the larger material.. Will post my results when I get a chance to try.. Andrew.

Hello all, I have recently found some nice Uraninite's that are partly encased and sometimes coated with a pyroxene and mica.. The mica is easy enough to remove but I am having some issues with removing the pyroxene.. Any ideas or techniques?? Thanks, Andrew.

I've heard it pronounced both ways. Besides, there is no Law (no pun intended), it's just easier to say Japan law twin!!:)

I stand corrected, you are absolutely right Adam! Guess I should have looked closer.

John, My bottle had directions by peeling back the label on the back of the bottle.. But, it did not have directions for cleaning minerals?? I have never used it for anything else!! LOL!! I just pour some in and check it every few hours.. Andrew.

From the pic it appears the blue sodalite does not fluoresce, I would suggest it is the Sodalite (var: Hackmanite) that is!! The Davis Quarry near Bancroft has some amazing Hackmanite.. Nice piece.

I will be looking forward to the see the display!! Congrats to Michael Bainbridge and all others involved.. Indeed, a great day for Ontario rockhounds!!

-- moved topic --

Definitely something mechanical. I see cogs on the inside and the outside of the wheel.. Could have been a part that fell off a rail car or who knows what.. Alot of mechanical equipment is transported by rail.

The picture attached to the Dancey Tremolite occurrence is stated as being from Grace Lake roadcut.. Can someone please remove the picture from the locality page.. Thanks!!

Lloyd, Pyroxene was my initial guess!! Reiner is correct, double check your tests and see what you come up with.. Sure looks like Diopside to me.

Lloyd, Epidote is out if your hardness in correct!! Can you get a closeup of the green mineral in question??

Ray, If it is as black as you say I would suggest an amphibole.. I do have some amphiboles from Ontario, Fluororichterite from Essonville rd, Bear Lake diggings material and others from the Hailburton/Hasting county area.. However, I have not found one with that much lustre.. Could it be that ...

Here is a pair of Bald eagles tending their young. Took this pic south of Norland, Ont on July 2. The nest is approx 6' wide. Not a great picture but, great to witness none the less..

Matt says- not gemmy at all. could be used for some opaque beads or cabs but thats it. the people that mine these are retarded and the new just as retarded for even writing about this. Very poor choice of words, Retarted?? Do you even know what it means Matt?? It means slow..

I would think relocation is the more humane thing to do!! Just my 2 cents..

Guy, Let me know the next time you are up in the Bancroft/ Haliburton area, I usually go up there several times through the year. I will be up there for a week starting on July 2.. Send me a PM.. Andrew.

Guy, I believe the only way to get in there is through club field trips. The quarry part is inactive and water filled however, an aggregate company is removing material from the extensive dumps which would mean heavy equipment traffic.. I doubt access would be granted unless it's through a CCFMS ...

Here is one of my favorites that I collected. A 2x1.5cm cluster of Betafites with Zircon from the Silver Crater (basin property)