Tourmaline

A prismatic mineral of various colours that occurs in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Some tourmaline is used as gemstones.

Black tourmaline crystals occur in a pinkish granite pegmatite rich in K-feldspar. (Trinity Bay, Bonavista Bay).

Barite

Barite (BaSO4) is a white, heavy mineral and the main ore of barium; it is used in drilling muds, paints, chemicals and TV screens.

Barite vein (light) cutting bedded sedimentary rocks. (Cross Point, near St. Bride’s).

Gypsum

Gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) is a soft, white mineral consisting mainly of calcium sulphate formed in hot climates during the evaporation of sea water. Gyspum is used in making wallboard (gyproc), plaster of Paris and portland cement.

Hills underlain by white gypsum. Gypsum from the Flat Bay deposit in western Newfoundland is used in the manufacturing of gyproc wallboard and cement in Corner Brook and is also exported to the United States. (Fischells Brook, near Flat Bay, western Newfoundland).

Gold

Gold (Au) is a precious metal used in jewellery and bullion and has many industrial and medical applications.

An occurrence of gold in quartz. This is a common association for gold, however, visible gold is rare and most gold is detected by chemical analyses. (Paymaster Mine, South Porcupine, Ontario).

Malachite

Malachite, a copper carbonate, occurs mostly as a secondary copper mineral. Copper most frequently occurs as a sulphide (e.g., chalcopyrite – CuFeS2) but exposure to water and oxygen causes it to oxidize and to combine with other minerals such as carbonate.

Malachite occurring as stains along fractures in sedimentary rocks. (Freshwater Bay, Bonavista Bay).

Rusty Zone (Pyrite)

Pyrite (FeS2) is a very common iron sulphide. It has a bronze appearance and is commonly referred to as “fool’s gold”. It oxidizes readily and forms rusty or gossan zones. Because pryite is often associated with valuable minerals, such as copper, it is often used as an indicator of the presence of these valuable minerals.

A rusty zone caused by the oxidation of pyrite developed in schistose volcanic rocks. (Hare Bay, Bonavista Bay).

Chromite

Chromite ((Mg,Fe)Cr2O4) is important as a source of chromium. It is a very valuable mineral and does not occur in very large quantities. It is used to make stainless steel and to chrome-plate metals.

Chromite pod (black) in altered ultramafic rocks. (Gander River area).

Sulphur

Sulphur (S) in its native or elemental form. Sulphur is used in fertilizer and chemicals.

Native sulphur in silicified felsic volcanic rocks that are 490 million years old. It is rare for sulphur to be preserved in its elemental form in such old rocks. (Red Indian Lake, central Newfoundland).

Fluorite

Fluorite is a relatively soft mineral made up of calcium fluoride (CaF2). It is important as a source of the element fluorine and as a metallurgical flux in the manufacture of aluminum.

Fluorite can be found as massive ore or crystals, as shown, it was mined for a number of years at St. Lawrence. (St. Lawrence, Burin Peninsula).

Dimension Stone

Dimension stone is any natural building stone that may be cut to specific size requirements. It can be rough or finished stone. Stone quarried in Newfoundland has been used in the St. John’s Court House, the CN railway station, Cabot Tower on Signal Hill, the Anglican Cathedral, a number of local lighthouses and many more buildings around St. John’s.

Grey granite blocks in a recently developed quarry. (Seal Cove, Fortune Bay).