Celestine

Here's a sweet thumbnail, it's a well-formed transparent tabular celestine crystal with high lustre from the famous Dundas Quarry area of southwestern Ontario. The specimen displays a very pale blue colour with bevelled edges tapering at the top. The crystal is in great condition, making for an excellent crystal from a locality that is no longer accessible to collectors.

The Dundas Quarry has been an important source of aggregate for well over a century, with quarrying in the area dating back to the mid-1800s. Over its long history, the operation has passed through several owners, including Canada Crushed Stone, Steetley Industries, and most recently Lafarge. Although the quarry is known among Ontario collectors for producing fine celestine crystals, intact specimens are surprisingly difficult to obtain. The fragile crystals are often damaged during blasting and extraction, making well-preserved examples such as this increasingly scarce. A desirable specimen from one of Ontario's classic mineral localities.