Titanite

A fairly big blocky titanite crystal, likely once part of a much larger crystal, but now fully “self-healed” and recrystallized on all sides. The crystal shows complete form from what can be observed, with solid re-development. The specimen nicely illustrates the complex and dynamic geological processes characteristic of this part of the Grenville Province.

This specimen comes from the Bear Lake Diggings, historically one of Ontario’s most celebrated mineral collecting localities. The site is especially renowned for producing large fluorapatite crystals (some exceeding a foot in length) along with a suite of classic Grenville minerals, including titanite. Formerly Ontario’s first publicly protected mineral collecting site, Bear Lake was sold in 2016 and access has since been restricted. As a result, material from this locality has become increasingly scarce and sought after by collectors worldwide.