Diopside
specimen number:
2102445
location:
DeKalb, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA
description: The DeKalb diopside locality, situated near DeKalb Junction in St. Lawrence County, New York, is a classic American mineral occurrence celebrated for its exceptionally well-crystallized diopside specimens. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within Precambrian-aged metasedimentary rocks of the Grenville Province, specifically consisting of highly silicated marbles and calc-silicate skarns. High-grade regional metamorphism and subsequent hydrothermal activity altered these silica-rich dolomitic limestones, driving the crystallization of large, gemmy, white to pale green diopside crystals along contact zones and within metamorphic pockets. Commercial surface quarrying and mineral prospecting at the locality began during the mid-to-late nineteenth century, operating primarily as an artisanal specimen-extraction site rather than an industrial ore mine. Collecting activity at the classic outcrops peaked during the late 1800s and early 1900s, with intermittent field collecting by mineralogists and private collectors continuing to produce notable specimens from the historic site through the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century.
A loose partially gemmy green fat terminated crystal of diopside. Nice for this classic locality.
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