Log In
La Gardette Mine, Villard-Notre-Dame, Grenoble, Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Francei
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| La Gardette Mine | Mine (Inactive) |
| Villard-Notre-Dame | Commune |
| Grenoble | Arrondissement |
| Isère | Department |
| Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | Region |
| France | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
45° 2' 7'' North , 6° 1' 55'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Inactive) - last checked 2021
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Le Bourg-d’Oisans | 3,352 (2017) | 2.2km |
| Auris | 232 (2016) | 4.4km |
| Ornon | 150 (2016) | 4.5km |
| Huez | 1,795 (2016) | 5.6km |
| Les Deux Alpes | 1,520 (2016) | 7.8km |
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Rhône-Alpes; Bourg d'Oisans
Name(s) in local language(s):
Mine de la Gardette, Bourg d'Oisans, Isère, Rhône-Alpes, France
"Villard-Notre-Dame: (Coming from Le Bourg-d'Oisans). South of the latter city on the D219. Brookite, chalcopyrite, ilmenite, a gold-bearing vein, argentiferous lead, and quartz on the dumps of the old La Gardette mine." [Belot, 1978]
This famous deposit is a narrow quartz-barite vein hosted in gneisses covered by Liassic limestones.
The mine started in the early 17th century for quartz "rock crystal" extraction, then for gold from 1781 to 1788. During this short operation, the deposit became famous for its beautiful quartz crystals found in several large vugs.
The mine was subsequently only operated for mineralogical specimens by many local prospectors until 2005 when all adits were finally closed…
Quartz twins with an angle of 84°30' were first described from this mine and are known as "La Gardette twins", but the name "Japan law twin" is more widely used, although it has no priority.
This famous deposit is a narrow quartz-barite vein hosted in gneisses covered by Liassic limestones.
The mine started in the early 17th century for quartz "rock crystal" extraction, then for gold from 1781 to 1788. During this short operation, the deposit became famous for its beautiful quartz crystals found in several large vugs.
The mine was subsequently only operated for mineralogical specimens by many local prospectors until 2005 when all adits were finally closed…
Quartz twins with an angle of 84°30' were first described from this mine and are known as "La Gardette twins", but the name "Japan law twin" is more widely used, although it has no priority.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
20 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Aikinite Formula: CuPbBiS3 |
| ⓘ Anglesite Formula: PbSO4 |
| ⓘ Azurite Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Baryte Formula: BaSO4 Description: Very late phase in the paragenesis. |
| ⓘ Beyerite Formula: Ca(BiO)2(CO3)2 References: Bruno Ducluzaux CollectionIdentified by Bruno Ducluzaux: SEM-EDS |
| ⓘ Bismutite Formula: (BiO)2CO3 References: Bruno Ducluzaux CollectionIdentified by Bruno Ducluzaux: SEM-EDS |
| ⓘ Brannerite Formula: UTi2O6 |
| ⓘ Brookite Formula: TiO2 |
| ⓘ Cerussite Formula: PbCO3 |
| ✪ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 References: |
| ⓘ Covellite Formula: CuS References: Bruno Ducluzaux CollectionIdentified by Bruno Ducluzaux: SEM-EDS |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS |
| ⓘ Ilmenite Formula: Fe2+TiO3 |
| ⓘ Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Native Gold Formula: Au Description: Masses up to 300 grams and octahedra dendrites in galena. |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
| ⓘ Pyromorphite Formula: Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| ✪ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Habit: Slender crystals, Dauphiné habit common. Colour: Colorless. Description: Large groups of well-developed, slender, clear rock crystals of very good luster. Dauphiné habit common. La Gardette is the "type locality" of crystals with lamellar structure as described by Weil (1930, 1931), and the "type locality" of Japan law twins, initially called "La Gardette twins" by Weiss (1829). References: |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Rock Crystal Formula: SiO2 References: |
| ⓘ Siderite Formula: FeCO3 References: Bruno Ducluzaux CollectionIdentified by Bruno Ducluzaux: SEM-EDS |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
| ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Group' Formula: M2(A6)M1(B4 C2)X3(D4)S1(Y12)S2(Z) |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Covellite | 2.CA.05a | CuS |
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | Aikinite | 2.HB.05a | CuPbBiS3 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Ilmenite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2+TiO3 |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Rock Crystal | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Brookite | 4.DD.10 | TiO2 |
| ⓘ | Brannerite | 4.DH.05 | UTi2O6 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Siderite | 5.AB.05 | FeCO3 |
| ⓘ | Cerussite | 5.AB.15 | PbCO3 |
| ⓘ | Azurite | 5.BA.05 | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Bismutite | 5.BE.25 | (BiO)2CO3 |
| ⓘ | Beyerite | 5.BE.35 | Ca(BiO)2(CO3)2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Anglesite | 7.AD.35 | PbSO4 |
| ⓘ | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Pyromorphite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Tetrahedrite Group' | - | M2(A6)M1(B4 C2)X3(D4)S1(Y12)S2(Z) |
List of minerals for each chemical element
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
- AlpsAccretionary Complex
EuropeContinent
- The AlpsMountain Range
France
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Isère
- Grenoble
- ⭔Oisans-RomancheCanton
- Grenoble
- Isère
- ⭔DauphinéProvince
This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
References
www.researchgate.net (n.d.) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284029805_La_mine_d'or_de_La_Gardette_a_Bourg_d'Oisans
www.academia.edu (n.d.) https://www.academia.edu/20283259/La_mine_dor_de_La_Gardette_%C3%A0_Bourg_dOisans
forums.futura-sciences.com (n.d.) https://forums.futura-sciences.com/geologie-catastrophes-naturelles/28881-sauvetage-mines-de-gardette.html
www.mineralshow.fr (2014) https://www.mineralshow.fr/les-mineraux/bourg-doisans-sur-la-route-du-villard-notre-dame-la-mine-de-la-gardette/
www.mairie-bourgdoisans.fr (n.d.) https://www.mairie-bourgdoisans.fr/wp-content/uploads/DP-Min%C3%A9ralogie-coll%C3%A8ge-et-lyc%C3%A8e.pdf
www.mineralienatlas.de (n.d.) https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/Frankreich/Auvergne-Rh%C3%B4ne-Alpes%2C%20Region/Is%C3%A8re%2C%20D%C3%A9partement/Grenoble%2C%20Arrondissement/Le%20Bourg-d%E2%80%99Oisans/Mine%20de%20la%20Gardette
freneydoisans.com (2022) https://freneydoisans.com/freneytique/loisans-souterrain-visite-a-la-mine-de-la-gardette/
La Gardette Mine, Villard-Notre-Dame, Grenoble, Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France