Grossular

This specimen features a cluster of numerous lustrous opaque, off-white to beige, grossular garnets on matrix, with a bit of dark iron staining. An unusual example from the renowned Jeffrey Mine in Quebec, a famous locality for producing some of the finest grossular garnet crystals ever found.

The Jeffrey Mine, once one of the world's largest chrysotile asbestos operations, was an expansive open-pit mine located in Val-des-Sources (formerly Asbestos), Quebec. The pit spanned 2 km in diameter and reached a depth of 350 meters. Mining began in 1879, and by 1969, the expansion of the pit forced the relocation of the town. However, with the global decline in asbestos demand after its classification as a carcinogen, the mine ceased operations in 2001. Since its closure, specimens from this locality have become increasingly rare and highly collectible.