MSH

Sections

Mineral Descriptions
Descriptions of all official species found at MSH along with their respective properties.Mineral Environments
Description of different mineral environments present at MSH with their mineral assemblages.

Mineral Abstracts
Abstracts of all new mineral species described from mont Saint-Hilaire.

MSH Unknowns
All unknowns from MSH, with their description, environment and some photographs.

Fluorescence
Fluorescent and phosphorescent species from MSH with their characteristics.

References
An exhaustive listing of biblio- graphic references on MSH species and alkaline intrusives.

Glossary
A glossary of terms used through- out the site followed by a list of abbreviations and English-French dictionaries.

Dana System
Mont Saint-Hilaire species sorted by the Dana System 8th Edition with classification numbers.

Strunz Classification
This time mineral species are sorted according to the Strunz classification system.

Acknowledgments
List of people that have assisted and are assisting with the development of this site.

Links
Some of our favorite links: club directories, databases and organisms.

Collectors & Dealers
Contacts to help you fill your Want Lists, or opportunities for exchanges! In any case, have fun.

ALKALI-NUTS, mont Saint-Hilaire

On the following pages, you will find information on the minerals and environments surrounding Mont Saint-Hilaire (MSH), Québec, Canada.

mont Saint-Hilaire - click for larger pic
Photo of mont Saint-Hilaire, ©Quintin Wight

Located 40 kilometers to the East of Montréal, in Rouville County, Mont Saint- Hilaire has become a classic collecting site and one of the most prolific current sources of rare mineral species. To date, 371 species have been identified from MSH, of which 50 species are new to science with several undetermined minerals (unknowns) still being investigated and a few new species approved by the International Mineralogical Association not yet published.

     The term ALKALINUTS is a term derived from László Horváth to describe those interested in minerals and studies of alkaline intrusive sites, of which MSH is such a site.

This site wants to display the beauties of MSH and describe briefly each species, with photos and diagrams. If you have lovely photographs, photo-micrographs, SEMs, anecdotes and/or collecting stories; I would be more than willing to publish them here with the proper acknowledgements to their source. Your comments, suggestions are more than welcome.

CAUTION: Mont Saint-Hilaire is open for mineral collecting on specific days ONLY. These dates are available on the Club de Minéralogie de Montréal web site in the links section.

Line up at MSH - click for larger pic
Morning line-up for collectors
©Quintin Wight

** Top picture of Lake Hertel atop mont Saint-Hilaire
© A. R. Chakhmouradian