Gypsum

specimen number:
2072194

location:
Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

description:
A classic specimen for this locality with glassy gemmy twinned crystals of gypsum coming off a common matrix. Complete all around with no points of attachment, this is in very good condition. Brightly fluorescent.

The Red River Floodway, located on the eastern outskirts of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a world-renowned locality for "selenite roses," a unique variety of gypsum. Geologically, these crystals form within the heavy, dark grey clays of the Lake Agassiz basin, where calcium-rich and sulfate-rich groundwater precipitates gypsum in the anaerobic, organic-rich sediment. The crystals are typically translucent to amber-colored and form beautiful, bladed clusters or "rosettes" that often contain sand or clay inclusions. Historically, the locality was created during the massive excavation of the 47-mile-long flood control canal, known as "Duff's Ditch," which began in 1962 and was completed in 1968. While the floodway is an active provincial infrastructure project and not a traditional mine, mineral collecting has been a popular activity for locals and visitors for decades, particularly along the banks and secondary excavation sites where the gypsum-bearing clay layers are exposed. Access is generally dependent on water levels and maintenance schedules, but the site remains a classic Canadian locality for high-quality gypsum specimens.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.