Petarasite, Aegirine, Nephiline Syenite, Catapleiite

This specimen features raspberry-red pétarasite crystals alongside black aegirine prisms in brown masses of catapleiite. Petarasite is a rare mineral named after Dr. Peter Tarassoff. Likely collected in the 1980s or 1990s, it hails from the famous Poudrette Quarry at Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec.

Mont Saint-Hilaire, an isolated hill roughly 40 km east of Montréal, has captivated mineral collectors and scientists alike for its array of exotic mineral species. With 433 documented minerals, including 71 type-locality species, this site stands among the most important in the world. Collecting has been severely restricted in recent years, making specimens like this increasingly rare.