Bertrandite, Albite, Muscovite

Flakey masses of colourless bertrandite blades densely cover the surface of an albite matrix, with scattered bits of muscovite mica interspersed throughout. Bertrandite is a beryllium sorosilicate hydroxide mineral that commonly forms in beryllium-rich pegmatites, often as an alteration product of beryl.

This specimen originates from the Strickland Quarry, a former feldspar-mica-beryllium-niobium-tantalum-rare-earth element-tin quarry located on the west side of Collins Hill, northeast of Portland, Connecticut. The quarry operated within the Strickland pegmatite, alongside the Schoonmaker (Cramer) Mine to the north. Though initially separate operations, the two sites may have connected in the final years of activity. Collectors often attribute specimens generically to the Strickland Quarry, as both sites shared the same pegmatitic mineralogy, zoning, and host rock formations. Mining at the Strickland Quarry reportedly began in the 1840s, and by the 1990s, the site had been transformed into a golf course, with all mine dumps removed. The flooded quarry pit remains, but mineral collecting is no longer permitted or possible.

*https://www.mindat.org/loc-3708.html

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This specimen comes from the collection of Dr. Peter Tarassoff, a prominent figure in mineralogy, particularly known for his work at Mont Saint-Hilaire (MSH). His diligent collecting and examination efforts have led him to be the first to identify at least 35 species and discover 12 new species, not only at MSH but also at other alkaline localities. Dubbed the "Dean" of Mont Saint-Hilaire collectors, Peter was honoured with the naming of the new species petarasite in 1980. He has authored or co-authored numerous mineralogical articles and has been a member of the Mineralogical Association of Canada since 1964. Additionally, Peter has volunteered at the Redpath Museum for the past 21 years, where he was formally appointed the Honorary Curator of Mineralogy. In recognition of his significant contributions to mineralogy, Peter was awarded the 2017 Pinch Medal