Brookite, Dresserite

Black micro brookite aggregate "blebs" can be found inside this albite-lined vug, along with dresserite, hydrodresserite, quartz, and weloganite. Brookite is relatively rare at the Francon Quarry, typically found on cavity linings of white albite crystals in both the upper and lower sills.

Collected by Dr. Tarassoff in 1976 from the Francon Quarry in central Montreal, this location, known for its alkalic intrusive sill in limestone, ceased operations in 1981 and will never reopen, making specimens from this site particularly rare and valuable to collectors.

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 and the Mineralogical Society of America for over 30 years. Additionally, Peter has volunteered at the Redpath Museum for the past 21 years. In recognition of his significant contributions to mineralogy, Peter was awarded the 2017 Pinch Medal by the Mineralogical Association of Canada.

Peter's dedication to systematic collecting, curating his collection, and maintaining an archive of detailed historical and scientific information has greatly benefited the mineral sciences community both in Canada and globally. All specimens from this collection come with the original P. Tarassoff collection label.