History · Geology
About Mont Saint-Hilaire
Mont Saint-Hilaire in Quebec, Canada is one of the most species-rich localities on Earth, with over 430 species recorded — many type-locality only — making it a paradise for rare-mineral collectors and mineralogists.
Geology
The locality is a Cretaceous agpaitic nepheline-syenite intrusion (Monteregian Hills province). Late-stage volatile-rich pegmatite pockets produced an extraordinary diversity of Na-K-Zr-Be-REE silicates.
Notable Minerals
Serandite (salmon-pink prismatic, world-best), aegirine, natrolite, analcime, catapleiite, leifite, eudialyte, microcline, plus dozens of type-locality species.
Collector Notes
Mont Saint-Hilaire serandite-on-natrolite-aegirine pieces are signature North American collector specimens. The Poudrette quarry has been the principal collector source.
