Laumontite, Prehnite

This specimen features densely intergrown, translucent, knobby botryoids, of prehnite with an outer coating of powdery white laumontite —a seldom-seen occurrence from the famous and now-extinct Prospect Park Quarry making for a sweet miniature specimen. If you look on the backside the basal attachment reveals hollow areas allowing one to see that it's an epimorph after anhydrite. The basal attachment reveals hollow areas where the anhydrite once was. This historic traprock quarry, opened in 1901 by James A. Sowerbutt and operated into the early 2000s, is now sadly filled in for a housing complex.

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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.