Vesuvianite
specimen number:
2072136
location:
Jeffrey Mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada
description: The Jeffrey Mine, located in the town formerly known as Asbestos in Quebec, Canada, was one of the largest open-pit chrysotile asbestos mines in the world. Geologically, it is situated within the Paleozoic Appalachian orogenic belt, specifically in a large body of serpentinized ultramafic rock known as the Thetford Mines Ophiolite. The mining of asbestos began in the late 1870s and continued for over a century, creating a massive excavation that eventually reached nearly two kilometers in diameter. While the mine was an industrial giant, it became a world-class mineralogical site due to the presence of calcium-rich hydrothermal fluids that reacted with the surrounding serpentinite to form spectacular rodingite dikes. These dikes hosted a diverse array of rare minerals, making the Jeffrey Mine a legendary locality for high-quality specimens until its final closure in the early 21st century.
Brilliant lustrous mostly gemmy green crystals of vesuvianite across the top of matrix. The crystals measure to 0.4 cm in size and are in good condition. Classic Canadian locality for the species.
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