Diopside

This specimen is notable for featuring an uncommon crystal habit of diopside from the Jeffrey Mine: tabular, champagne-coloured, highly gemmy crystals intergrown into a compact mass. Scattered within the matrix are a few purple prisms of manganoan vesuvianite, adding a bit of extra mineralogical spice. Though small, this piece is an excellent example of the exceptional material that once emerged from the now-closed Jeffrey Mine in Val-des-Sources (formerly Asbestos), Québec.

The Jeffrey Mine was a massive open-pit chrysotile asbestos operation, approximately 2 kilometers in diameter and 350 meters deep. Mining began in 1879, and by 1969, the pit’s expansion required the relocation of part of the adjacent town. However, by the 1980s, global demand for asbestos declined sharply due to increasing awareness of its carcinogenic effects and widespread regulatory bans. The mine ultimately ceased operations in 2001 due to financial constraints and has remained inactive since.