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McGill University campus, Mont Royal, Montréal, Québec, Canadai
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McGill University campusOccurrence
Mont RoyalTown
MontréalCity
QuébecProvince
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06261670017775284133919.jpg
Location of dawsonite-bearing dykes McGill campus, Tarassoff (2013)

McGill University campus, Mont Royal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
45° 30' 15'' North , 73° 34' 37'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Montréal1,600,000 (2018)1.0km
Westmount20,494 (2010)2.9km
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce67,000 (2017)4.2km
Saint-Raymond9,273 (2018)4.8km
Longueuil229,330 (2016)5.5km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Montreal Gem and Mineral ClubMontreal, Quebec3km
Mindat Locality ID:
598
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:598:3
GUID (UUID V4):
0


The McGill University campus is on the eastern lower slope of Mont Royal. It is the type locality for dawsonite. The type occurrence of dawsonite was a trachytic (feldspathic) dike cutting Trenton limestone "near the western end of McGill College [now McGill University]" adjacent to the Arts Building.

The type dawsonite specimens were collected between 1855 and 1874 by Principal John William Dawson. Dawsonite had been collected before 1843 by Dr. A. F. Holmes from the "foundation of McGill College" but was misidentified as natrolite. Dawson recognized his material as a likely new species and referred it to Professor B.J. Harrington, who published the first description of the new mineral in 1875.

Dawsonite occurred in veinlets in joints, formed on cooling of a feldspathic dike, and in clusters. Associated minerals include calcite, kaolinite, cubes of pyrite and fluorite.

What was probably the same dike from which Dawson collected his specimens was encountered in September and October 1963 during construction of the Leacock Building. Another dike containing dawsonite was encountered in 2001 and 2002 during construction of the Penfield 740 Building and the Trottier Building. This dike is about 200 meters north-northwest of the 1963 dike and has a very different strike. Notably, it produced much better specimens of dawsonite.
Dawsonite was also found at the McTavish Reservoir site and in the Mount Royal Tunnel which runs underneath the campus.

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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


9 valid minerals. 1 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals.