Diopside

This specimen features sharp, prismatic to fibrous crystals of diopside in intergrown, crisscrossing formations, light beige to a mauve hue. It originates from the Black Lake Mine—now known as the British Canadian Mine—located in southern Québec.

This site was once one of the region’s largest open-pit chrysotile asbestos mines. Over time, pit expansion led to the consolidation of several neighbouring operations under a variety of historical names, which would require further research to fully clarify. While often overshadowed by the more famous Jeffrey Mine, the Black Lake/British Canadian Mine is a distinct locality, situated not far away, and has produced its own suite of notable mineral specimens.