Triphylite, Heterosite, Vivianite, Strunzite, Rockbridgeite, Muscovite

Don't see specimens like this very often, rock from the historic Fitzgibbon, a classic New Hampshire pegmatite locality. The piece features dark bluish-black triphylite, a member of the triphylite-lithiophilite Series, mixed among massive heterosite, vivianite, strunzite rockbridgeite, muscovite with just of quartz and albite matrix remaining. Triphylite from this quarry is known to alter to heterosite, so all heterosite specimens from the area originated as triphylite.

The Fitzgibbon Mine, is a zoned granitic pegmatite located near East Alstead Village, worked as early as 1906. Over the decades, it saw intermittent mining primarily for mica by companies including the New England Mica Products Corporation, American Mica Company, and the Fitzgibbons Mica & Mining Company, with operations continuing under various owners into the early 1960s. This historic site has produced a number of notable phosphate species, and this combination specimen is a fine example of the locality’s mineralogical significance.

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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.