NOVA SCOTIA FIELD TRIP

12/05/2007

At last night's meeting, I spoke briefly about a collecting expedition to the Cape Blomidon area of Nova Scotia. Jim asked that I forward the information to the BMC webmaster. Below is a copy of an e-mail I sent to a neighbor regarding the trip and guides whom I met. You are welcome to use it as you wish. I do hope to go back next year. Regards,

BMC Member Dave Butler, Carlisle, MA
2007



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The geologist/carpenter who took me out exploring along the south shore of the Bay of Fundy is Tom Metcalf. Tom is from Massachusetts but has lived in Nova Scotia for many years.

He offers three general categories of guide services. First, zeolite collecting, which I did, which included a basalt cliff - cove with heulandite crystals, a petrified wood cove with drusy quartz and (rarely) amethyst crystals, and an old quarry with a variety of minerals and unusual items.

His website is www.goldmines.ca. He also does gold panning, and offers a geology lecture field trip also. I forgot to mention he smokes cigarettes but since we were outdoors most of the time it was not a problem.

He has a store set up in his house which is more like a museum where everything is for sale. Tom is the one who grew up in Massachusetts.

Bay of Fundy photo from Goldmines Rock Shop

 

Nova Scotia gold panning photo from Goldmines Rock Shop

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I also visited with Robert Baird, www.robsrockshop.com.

Rob of Rob's Rocks

Rob is a very interesting guy. He collects at various sites and his back yard is full of rows of rocks, much like a garden, which he has separated by location. His basement is full of things for sale. The most interesting rocks that I found during the trip were purchased at his basement "store," but since I stopped there first I did not know this at the time.

Robert makes jewelry and also cuts the agates that he finds into thin translucent sheets that show patterns when backlit. Robert has offered to take me out collecting and I plan to take him up on it.

Both Tom and Robert seemed to be in their late 50's. Both are located in the general area of Kentville, N.S. near Cape Blomidon. Both of them offered a lot of specimens for $5 or less, but also had more expensive stuff. Neither are set up to take credit cards. Also on Cape Blomidon, Scots Bay Beach is easily accessible by paved road and is known for cool beach stones, albeit nothing like what you can find with a guide.

On the north shore of the Bay of Fundy, Parrsboro has the Fundy Geological Museum and the Parrsboro Rock Shop. Cape D'Or has spectacular scenery, but in best Canadian tradition is at the end of a 4 mile dirt road.

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Cape Blomidon, Bay of Fundy, Kings Co., Nova Scotia, Canada (Mindat link)

Cliffs along the Bay of Fundy. Walking from Cape Blomidon Provincial Park, the cliffs begin as Minas Basin sandstone capped by Triassic basalt. Moving west the basalt makes up a larger portion of the cliffs.

Ref:
Sabina, A.P.(1964), "Rocks and Minerals for the Collector - Bay of Fundy Area", GSC Paper 64-10.
Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World, p.51, 100, 149, 255, 458, 492

Mindat Cape Blomidon mineral photos

The Mineralogy of Nova Scotia by Ronnie Van Dommelan


Photo of the Bay of Fundy from The Mineralogy of Nova Scotia by Ronnie Van Dommelan

 

Nova Scotia Mineral List

Acanthite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Actinolite - Foote Cove Beach
Albite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Almandine - Pogue Lake
Aluminocopaite - Prince Mine
Alunogen - Evans Coal Mine
Amblygonite - Reeves Pegmatite
'Amphibole' - Marble Mountain Quarry
Analcime - Amethyst Cove
Anatase - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Andalusite - Shelburne
Anglesite - Dunbrack Mine
Anhydrite - Windsor
Anilite - Dunbrack Mine
Antimony - West Gore
Ankerite - Londonderry
Anorthite - North Mountain
Anthophyllite - Clarke Head
Aplowite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Apophyllite - Margaretsville [HOW61]
Aragonite - Cheverie
Arfedsonite - Wentworth [PEPI04]
Arsenopyrite - Goldenville
Augite - Plymouth
Autunite - East Dalhousie
Azurite - Springville Barite Pit
Barite - Rainy Cove
Bassanite - Nappan [GOOD57]
Bassetite - McLean Point [CHAT77]
Becquerellite (or Billietite) - McLean Point [CHAT77]
Bertrandite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Beryl - Port Mouton Area [MULL60], Caledonia []
Biotite - New Ross
Bismuth - Walker Moly Prospect
Bismuthinite - Reeves Pegmatite, Eagle Head Mine
Bornite - Coxheath Mine
Boulangerite - Mavilette Beach
Braunite - MacKeigen Property , Meat Cove
Bravoite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Brochantite - Coxheath Mine
Brookite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Brucite - Pine Brook , Meat Cove
Cacoxenite - Stephens Mine [BOYL72]
Calcite - Rainy Cove
Carnallite - Malagawatch [PRIM91]
Cassiterite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [MAND84]
Celadonite - Haborville
Celestite - Lake Enon [FELD78]
Cerussite - Dunbrack Mine [KONT96]
Cervantite - Lansdowne [NSNH00]
Chabazite - Wassons Bluff
Chalcanthite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Chalcocite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine , Dunbrack Mine
Chalcopyrite - Coxheath Mine
Chambersite - Nappan [FGM00]
Chamosite - Piedmont Iron Prospect
Childrenite/Eosphorite - East Kemptville [MAND84]
Chlorite - East Kemptville Tin Mine , Brazil Lake [HUGH95]
Chloritoid - Foote Cove [SABI64]
Chrysocolla - Dunbrack Mine
Clarkeite - McLean Point [CHAT77]
Clausthalite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Clinoptilolite - Arlington Quarry
Cobaltite - Nictaux Falls Dam
Columbite/Tantalite - Brazil Lake [HUGH95], Reeves Pegmatite , East Kemptville [MAND84]
Cookeite - Brazil Lake [HUGH95]
Copiapite - Prince Mine [ZODR80]
Copper - Cape D'Or
Corundum - Frenchvale [MLRI04]
Covellite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Cubanite - French Road
Cuprite - Blue Point , Plateau , Dunbrack Mine
Danburite - Cheverie, Iona [GOOD57], Pugwash
Davidite - McLean Point [CHAT77]
Devilline - Eagle Head Mine
Digenite - Dunbrack Mine [KONT96]
Diopside - Cape Breton [WALK88]
Djurleite - Dunbrack Mine [KONT96]
Dolomite - Boylston
Dumortierite - Keddy Pegmatite
Durangite - Reeves Pegamtite
Elbaite (Tourmaline) - Brazil Lake [HUGH95]
Epidote - Clark Head [OWEN99]
Epsomite - Sydney Coalfield
Erythrite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Fayalite (var Knebelite) - Cain and Riddle Mines [BISH74]
Fibroferrite - Prince Mine
Fillowite - Brazil Lake [HUGH95]
Fluorapatite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [MAND84]
Fluorite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [MAND84]
Gahnite - Walker Moly Prospect
Galena - Dunbrack Mine [KONT96]
Germanite - Meat Cove
Gersdorffite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Gibbsite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine [BOYL72]
Ginorite - Clifton Quarry [GOOD57]
Glauberite - Clifton Quarry [PAPE75]
Glauconite - Finlay Point
Gmelinite - Amethyst Cove
Goethite - Londonderry , Dunbrack Mine
Gold - Goldenville
Graphite - Middle Stewiacke Barite Deposit [SABI64]
Groutite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Gustavite - Eagle Head Mine [DENN81]
Gypsum - Windsor
Gyrolite - Margaretville [HOW61], Canada Creek [SABI64]
Halite - Nappan, Pugwash [GOOD57]
Halotrichite - Glace Bay
Hausmannite - MacKeigen Property , Stephens/McCumber/BlackRock [HEWE72], BlackRock [BISH74]
Hematite - Moose Point
Hemimorphite - Five Islands , Sugar Camp
Hessite - Eagle Head Mine [DENN81]
Heulandite - Harbourville
Hornblende - Plymouth
Howlite - Windsor [HOW68], Iona
Hubnerite - Reeves Pegmatite , Bridgeville , Murphy Brook
Hydrotungstite - Lime Hill []
Hydrozincite - Five Islands , Loch Lomond Lake
Ilmenite - Dunbrack Mine [KONT96]
Ilvaite - [GILP81]
Inyoite - Wentworth Area [GOOD57]
Jarosite - Cribbons Point
Joseite - Eagle Head Mine [DENN81]
Kaersutite - Plymouth
Kaolinite (Clay) - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Kermesite - West Gore
Langite - Eagle Head Mine
Laumontite - Peter's Point
Lavendulanite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Lazurite - Nappan [GOOD57]
Lead (Native) - Steve's Road [RYAN93]
Lepidocrocite - Finlay Point
Lepidolite - Seffernsville
Linarite - Dunbrack Mine
Lithiophilite - Brazil Lake [HUGH95]
Magnesite - Orangedale [DOBB24]
Magnesiocopiapite - Prince Mine [ZODR80]
Magnetite - Cape Split
Malachite - Dunbrack Mine
Manganite - Tennycape [BISH74]
Manjiroite - Cain and Riddle Mines [OREI92]
Marialite (Scapolite) - McKay Head [OWEN99]
Marcasite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Mawsonite - Walker Moly Prospect
Mcauslanite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [RICH88]
Melanterite - Sydney Coalfield
Meneghinite - Dunbrack Mine [CHAT77b]
Mesolite - Cap D'Or
Metauranocircite - McLean Point [CHAT77]
Metavoltine - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Microcline - Lime Hill []
Microlite - Reeves Pegmatite
Mirabilite - Windsor [GOOD57]
Molybdenite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Monazite - Reeves Pegmatite , Canso [HILL91]
Moorhouseite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Mordenite - Morden [HOW63]
Morinite - Reeves Pegmatite
Muscovite - Halifax
Natrojarosite - Evans Coal Mine
Natrolite - Wassons Bluff
Niccolite - Galena Mine
Okenite - Morden
Olivine - Plymouth
Orthoclase - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Paratacamite - Knoydart Point
Parisite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Pearceite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Penroseite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Pentlandite - Several
Phenakite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Phlogopite - Lime Hill []
Pickeringite - Glace Bay
Pinakiolite - Cain and Riddle Mines [BISH74]
Platinum - Middle River
Polydymite - Middle River
Posnjakite - Coxheath Mine
Powellite - McMillan Brook Skarn
Prehnite - Near Londonderry
Probertite - Cheverie
Proustite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Pseudomalachite - Dunbrack Mine
Pyrite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [MAND84]
Pyroaurite - Scotch Lake Quarry
Pyrolusite - Tennycape Mine [BISH74]
Pyromorphite - Dunbrack Mine [CHAT77b]
Pyrophanite - Rocky Lake [BISH74]
Pyrrhotite - West Gore , East Kemptville [MAND84]
Quartz - Boylston [BODD92]
Ramsdellite - Whale Cove, East River, Cape Split
Renierite - Meat Cove
Rhodochrosite - Cain and Riddle Mines [HEWE72, BISH74]
Rhodonite - Rocky Lake
Riebeckite - West Moose River [PEPI04]
Romanechite (Psilomelane) - Tennycape Mine
Rozenite - Sydney Coalfield
Rutile - Moose Point
Sanmartinite - Lime Hill []
Scheelite - Moose River Tungsten Mine
Schoepite - McLean Point [CHAT77]
Schorl (Tourmaline) - Fall River
Scolecite - Cape Blomidon
Serpentine - Scotch Lake Quarry
Siderite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [MAND84]
Sideronatrite - Point Aconi
Sillimanite - []
Silver (Native) - Steve's Road [RYAN93], Jefferson
Smithsonite - Five Islands
Sphalerite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [MAND84]
Spinel - Upper Leitches Creek []
Spessartine - North Beaverbank []
Spodumene - Brazil Lake [HUGH95]
Stannite - Meat Cove , Turner Tin Prospect
Staurolite - Cochrane Hill
Stellerite - East Kemptville Tin Mine
Stibnite - West Gore
Stilbite - Harbourville [SABI64]
Stromeyerite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Strontianite - Lake Enon
Sulphur - Dingwall [GOOD57], Hilden [LOUI77]
Sylvite - Malagawatch [PRIM91]
Szomolnokite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Talc - Scotch Lake
Tennantite - Magnet Cove Barite Mine
Tetrahedrite - Seaman's Brook [HOW69]
Thomsonite - Peter's Point
Titanite (Sphene) - Brazil Lake [HUGH95]
Topaz - Reeves Pegmatite , Dog Lake , East Kemptville
Torbernite - East Dalhousie
Tridymite - Dunbrack Mine [FRIE68, CHAT77b]
Triphyllite - Reeve's Pegmatite
Triplite - East Kemptville Tin Mine [MAND84]
Tremolite - Scotch Lake Quarry
Tungstite - Reeve's Pegmatite
Ulexite - Clifton Estate [HOW57], Dingwall, Cheverie [PAPE75]
Uraninite - Walker Moly Prospect
Valentinite - West Gore Antimony Mine [SABI64], Lansdowne [NSNH00]
Vivianite - East Kemptville [RICH88]
Willemite - Kirkmount Prospect [SANG86]
Wittichenite - Walker Moly Prospect
Wolframite - Reeves Pegmatite
Wollastonite - Lime Hill
Wroewolfeite - Dunbrack Mine
Wulfenite - Dunbrack Mine
Zinnwaldite - Reeves Pegmatite
Zippeite - McLean Point [CHAT77]
Zircon - Brazil Lake [HUGH95], East Dalhousie
Zoisite - Near Scotch Lake