Datolite, Calcite

This specimen features glassy, colourless datolite crystals on matrix. Interspersed among them are calcite rhombohedrons, delicately coated with a fine sprinkling of micro pyrite cubes. This specimen was collected in 1909 from the classic but the lesser-known Erie Railroad Cut at Bergen Hill in Jersey City, New Jersey, this historic zeolite locality was once a productive source of fine mineral specimens. The Bergen Hill railroad cut has since been repurposed as a highway right-of-way, providing access to Jersey City and the Holland Tunnel. Specimens from this site are now quite rare.

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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.