Canada - The Collection

Ammolite is an opal-like organic gemstone found primarily along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains of North America. It is made of the fossilized shells of ammonites, which in turn are composed primarily of aragonite, the same mineral contained in nacre, with a microstructure inherited from the shell.  It is one of few biogenic gemstones; others include amber and pearl. In 1981, the year commercial mining of ammolite began, ammolite was given official gemstone status by the World Jewellery Confederation.

Product Type: Ammolite (Ammonite)
Approx Weight (per piece): 1.6ct 
Size: 10x8mm 
Shape: Oval Cabochon
Color: Fantastic Rainbow Color
Clarity: Opaque
Origin: Canada

We have for you a large Duckbill style gypsum var Selenite from world famous Red River Floodway in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada.  This is a large floater gypsum crystal cluster that occurred in the Pleistocene Age in Lake Agassiz clay. The distribution of the gypsum covers a 20 kilometer wide area, but the Floodway is one of the few excavations in the very flat terrain deep enough to intersect the gypsum layer.

The Red River Floodway has become famous, not only for its engineering marvel but also for the extremely unusual selenite specimens that were discovered during excavations. The formation is due to two generations of growth with the first growth forming near-spherical rosettes of stout intergrown crystals and the second growth, that made them famous, grew large golden crystals with a unique twinning shape that resembled a duck’s bill. These “duckbill” selenites are famous the world over and have found nowhere else in the world to date and collecting is now carefully controlled. Specimens range from having a single crystal, to having many radiating from the rosette. Some rare examples have two rosettes conjoined in striking formations. This specimen is in excellent condition.

Name: Gypsum var. Selenite
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Size 
Dimensions:  51x36X39 mm / 2.0x1.4X1.5 inches
Weight:   55.3 grams / 1.9 oz 
Origin: Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

This specimen of Vesuvianite was collected in the now closed Jeffery Mine, Asbestos, Québec, Canada. The specimen is made up of a combination of green and mauve vesuvianite crystals also named violet manganoan vesuvianite. It is in good condition. A great addition to any collection!

Vesuvianite was first discovered on Mount Vesuvius in Italy in the 18th century, hence its name. It typically occurs as a green, brown, yellow, or blue-green crystal, and is often found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. The alternate name, Idocrase, is from the Greek eidos “form”, and krasis “mixture”, because Vesuvianite often appears to combine the crystal forms of other minerals. It is used as a gemstone.

Name: Vesuvianite Crystal 
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Sized
Dimensions: 41x18x14 mm / 1.6x0.7x0.5 inches 
Weight: 14.8 grams /  0.5 ounces
Origin: Mined in Jeffery Mine, Asbestos, Québec, Canada

We have for you a large Duckbill style gypsum var Selenite from world famous Red River Floodway in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada.  This is a large floater gypsum crystal cluster that occurred in the Pleistocene Age in Lake Agassiz clay. The distribution of the gypsum covers a 20 kilometer wide area, but the Floodway is one of the few excavations in the very flat terrain deep enough to intersect the gypsum layer.

The Red River Floodway has become famous, not only for its engineering marvel but also for the extremely unusual selenite specimens that were discovered during excavations. The formation is due to two generations of growth with the first growth forming near-spherical rosettes of stout intergrown crystals and the second growth, that made them famous, grew large golden crystals with a unique twinning shape that resembled a duck’s bill. These “duckbill” selenites are famous the world over and have found nowhere else in the world to date and collecting is now carefully controlled. Specimens range from having a single crystal, to having many radiating from the rosette. Some rare examples have two rosettes conjoined in striking formations. This specimen is in excellent condition.

Name: Gypsum var. Selenite
Specimen Size:  Miniature-Size 
Dimensions:  55x48X42 mm / 2.2x1.9X1.6 inches
Weight:   87.7 grams / 3.1 oz 
Origin: Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

This is an excellent specimen from the world renowned location that is Mount-Saint Hilaire. This beautiful crystal would be a great addition to any new or existing collection.

Name: Rhodochrosite 
Specimen Size:  Thumbnail-Sized  
Dimensions:   Specimen 14x9x7 mm 
                        Box 33x33
Weight:      2.5 Grams / 12.7ct
Origin: Mined in Poudrette Quarry, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada

Name:  Titanite var. Sphene
Specimen Size:  Thumbnail-Sized  
Dimensions:   Specimen 28x14 mm / 1.1x0.5    inches  
                        Specimen Box 33x33 mm / 1.3x1.3 inches  
Weight:  20.9 Grams / 0.7 Ounces (including box)  
Origin: Mined in Faraday Twp, Bancroft, Ontario, Canada

This is a very fine and lustrous Stilbite from Parsboro, Cape d'Or, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was collected in 2002 and is a group of well terminated crystals with nice sharp edges.  

Stilbite is a zeolite mineral appreciated for its delicate crystal formations and pastel hues, ranging from colorless to white, yellow, pink, and peach.  It forms distinctive tabular crystals with a bowtie or butterfly shape and exhibits a vitreous to pearly luster. Commonly found in cavities in volcanic rocks, stilbite is often associated with other zeolite minerals. It is valued for its aesthetic appeal and is believed by some to have calming energy, supporting spiritual growth and emotional healing.

This is a must have 222.8 gram Metal Ore Copper rich Impact Breccia from the famous Sudbury Astrobleme Impact Structure in Ontario Canada. Its dimensions are 110x70x10 mm.  Although not a meteorite, impactites are directly linked to them and their impacts and are probably going to be one of the rarest collection pieces you'll ever own. 

About 1.87 billion years ago, an object from space nine kilometers in diameter slammed into Canada, a little north of Sudbury, Ontario creating the second largest impact structure on the earth. This impact was equivalent to a billion tons of TNT. An impact so big it cracked the earth, and in fact there are still earthquakes because of that event today!  The many mineral rich deposits and strange rock formations in such close proximity has attracted attention for 100's of years, long before its impact origin was known. 

Note that this is not a meteorite but a slice of Earth rock, altered by the impact of a very large meteorite.  This came from the ring of the impact and is the harder to find gold-copper-bronze colored impactite described as a metal-rich breccia and sulfides composed chiefly of some amount of iridium, cobalt & selenium. In addition, most of these specimens will contain nickel, iron, sperrylite and pentlandite as well as minor amounts of other metals, metallic & silicate minerals."

Would be a beautiful addition to any new or existing collection. Comes with a Michael Cottingham Meteorite Collection and a Canagem Collection specimen card. 

This is a must have 58.9 gram Metal Ore Copper rich Impact Breccia from the famous Sudbury Astrobleme Impact Structure in Ontario Canada. Its dimensions are 57x45x9mm.  Although not a meteorite, impactites are directly linked to them and their impacts and are probably going to be one of the rarest collection pieces you'll ever own. 

About 1.87 billion years ago, an object from space nine kilometers in diameter slammed into Canada, a little north of Sudbury, Ontario creating the second largest impact structure on the earth. This impact was equivalent to a billion tons of TNT. An impact so big it cracked the earth, and in fact there are still earthquakes because of that event today!  The many mineral rich deposits and strange rock formations in such close proximity has attracted attention for 100's of years, long before its impact origin was known. 

Note that this is not a meteorite but a slice of Earth rock, altered by the impact of a very large meteorite.  This came from the ring of the impact and is the harder to find gold-copper-bronze colored impactite described as a metal-rich breccia and sulfides composed chiefly of some amount of iridium, cobalt & selenium. In addition, most of these specimens will contain nickel, iron, sperrylite and pentlandite as well as minor amounts of other metals, metallic & silicate minerals."

Would be a beautiful addition to any new or existing collection. Comes with a copy of a signed Mickael Cottingham Meteorite Collection and a Canagem Collection specimen card. 

This is a fantastic shatter cone from Canada weighing 903 grams and measuring 12.8x8.3x6.3 cm. This shatter cone was formed 1.849 billion years ago at the Sudbury Basin (also named Sudbury Structure) in the Paleoproterozoic era.  Although not a meteorite, impactites and shatter cones are directly linked to them and their impacts.   Shatter cones are evidence that the rock has been subjected to an extreme shock with very brief high pressures.

Shatter cones are rare geological features that are only known to form in the bedrock beneath large meteorite impact craters. They have a distinctively conical shape with thin grooves (striae) that radiate from the top (apex) of the cone. Shatter cones can range in length from 1 centimeter to several meters. The azimuths of the cones' axes typically radiate outwards from the point of impact, with the cones pointing towards the center of the impact crater.

This piece displays very well and is a very nice size showing multiple characteristics of its origin. Would make a beautiful addition to any collection.