Fluorapatite, Quartz, Cookeite, Albite

Some of the finest purple apatite specimens come from Maine’s pegmatite localities, with the historic Harvard Quarry (also known as the Noyes Mountain Quarry) producing some of the best examples. This miniature specimen features several sharp, lustrous, light purple prismatic fluorapatite crystals, up to 3 mm in size, nestled in a vuggy white albite matrix with tan cookeite. The quarry, part of the Oxford pegmatite field, was originally opened by George "Shavey" Noyes and Tim Heath around 1894. For more information on this historic locality, see American Mineralogist (1925, Vol. 10, pp. 355–411).

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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.