Gypsum

specimen number:
2292454

location:
Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

description:
Classic specimen for this locality, gemmy crystals of gypsum in a cluster without matrix. Minimal cleaving present, this still in very good condition all around. Brightly fluorescent.

The Red River Floodway, located near Winnipeg, Manitoba, is an extensive flood control channel designed to divert excess water around the city. Geologically, the excavation of this 47-kilometer-long channel exposed thick sequences of Paleozoic bedrock, primarily the Ordovician-age Red River Formation. This formation consists largely of fossiliferous limestone and dolostone. During the construction of the floodway in the 1960s, workers and collectors discovered significant gypsum deposits within the rock layers. These gypsum crystals, often occurring as secondary mineral growths in the sedimentary strata, are noted for their transparency and distinct habits. The project not only served as a vital infrastructure improvement for regional flood mitigation but also provided geologists and collectors with rare, accessible views of the underlying stratigraphic units and their associated mineral content.

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