MSH is home to a bewildering variety of rare and exotic minerals, and the type locality for many of them. But it is also home to an even more bewildering variety of rare and exotic pseudomorphs. This specimen features calcite and fluorite replacing shortite. According to Gilles Haineault (“Minéraux de mont Saint-Hilaire ...”), this type of PSM was “fairly common”. In my experience that was perhaps true in July 1998 – but never before or after! In any case, since shortite is a very rare mineral, these pseudomorphs are rarer than that! Personally, I found less than a handful of these. (Note: There is no relict shortite left here, but shortite is orthorhombic, so the morphology is right.)

These pseudomorphs differ from the one illustrated in Gilles’ book by having both calcite and (purple) fluorite as the replacement minerals. Also, again according to Gilles, the PSM illustrated in his book were associated with peatite-(Y) and ramikite-(Y), which is not the case here. So perhaps these are two different finds. 

Single item shipping weight is 2.8 oz (79 g). For shipments outside the USA, up to a total weight < 8 oz (225g), this can be combined with items from this or other auctions for the same postage.

Within the USA, postage increases by about $0.20 per ounce. Above 13 oz, I will use Priority Mail ($9.25 including packing).

This could be sent in a padded envelope for the same postage.