The rock beneath this area is between 1.0 and 1.2 billion years old, and has been subjected to volcanic activity, glacial scouting, extreme heat and pressure, and intense faulting and folding. The result of all this is a rich and varied array of semi-precious minerals that provide a paradise for rock hounds. They travel from all over the globe to examine the amazing geology and to collect unique specimens.
Rock collecting is a safe and enjoyable pastime. Equipment, guides, maps and supplies are available locally at hardware stores, sporting good stores, rock shops and the Bancroft Chamber of Commerce. Basic equipment should include a first-aid kit, plenty of water, long pants, long sleeved shirt, hat, safety boots, safety glasses or goggles, a rock hammer, rock chisel, small shovel, sample bags, newspaper, a pocket knife, magnet, compass, pen or pencil, maps and a note book.
 |
Collecting sites & most common minerals:
Baptiste Lake North augite, actinolite, feldspar, apatite, scapolite, titanite
Bear Lake Diggings apatite, biotite, feldspar, calcite, hornblende, titanite, monazite, quartz, and pyrite
Beryl Pit beryl, peristerite, amazonite, smoky quartz, cleavelandite, euxenite, tourmaline, fluorite
Bessemer Mine magnetite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, amphibole, calcite, chalcopyrite, epidote, garnet, pyroxene
Bower's Point Roadcut augite, calcite, scapolite, titanite, zircon
Burgess Corundum corundum, biotite, magnetite, muscovite, pyrite, rutile, scapolite, titanite, zircon
Cancrinite Hill cancrinite, sodalite, apatite, cleavelandite, molybdenite, magnetite, tourmaline
 |
Davis Hill biotite, nepheline, apatite, calcite, feldspar, magnetite, sodalite
Davis Quarry sodalite, hackmanite, zircon, cancrinite, apatite, biotite, calcite, galena, muscovite, tourmaline, uraninite
Desmont Mine clinopyroxene, amphibole, ancylite, apatite, chondrodite, garnet, hydroxylbastnaesite, molybdenite, monazite, pyrite, quartz, scapolite, serpentine, stillwellite, titanite, tourmaline uranothorite
Diamond Lake Roadcut feldspar, hornblende, mica, pyroxene, scapolite, and titanite
Egan Chute corundum, sodalite, nepheline, albite, biotite, calcite, cancrinite, pyrite, tourmaline
Essonville Roadcut flourorichterite, phlogopite, diopside, calcite
Faraday Hill Roadcut tremolite, apatite, calcite, molybdenite, pyrite, uraninite
Goudling-Keene Quarry nepheline, biotite, apatite, calcite, cancrinite, graphite, natrolite, pyrite, scapolite, sodalite, zircon
Grace Lake Roadcut tremolite/actinolite, diopside, phlogopite, calcite, hornblende, molybdenite, quartz, pyrite
 |
Gutz Farm Corundum corundum allanite, natrolite, hdyro-nephelite, sodalite, cancrinite
Lily Robertson Property corundum (blackstar), magnetite, molybdenite, scapolite, sodalite, spinel, tourmaline
Macdonald Mine feldspar, quartz (white and smoky), graphic granite, allanite, zircon
Musclow Occurrences quartz (smoky and amethyst), augite, calcite, feldspar, hematite, mica, scapolite, pyrite, titanite
Quirk Lake quartz, albite, apatite, augite, hematite, mica
Saranac Mine zircon, thorite, allanite, calcite, chlorite, hematite, goethite, graphite, pyroxene, scapolite, serpentine, titanite, tourmaline
Silver Crater Mine betafite, biotite, apatite, calcite, feldspar, hornblende, magnetite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, zircon
Upper Turriff garnet
Warwickite Occurrence Herschel Ward warwickite, anatase, apatite, chondrodite, clinoamphibole, fluorite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, scapolite, serpentine, sinhalite, spinel, tourmaline
York River Skarn garnet, vesuvianite, clinopyroxene, brucite, calcite, cancrinite, scapolite, spinel, wollastonite, zircon
The comments contained on this site are for information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice
|