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Eureka mine (Old barite mine; Duncan mine), Five Islands, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia, Canadai
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Eureka mine (Old barite mine; Duncan mine) | Mine |
| Five Islands | Group of Islands |
| Colchester Co. | County |
| Nova Scotia | Province |
| Canada | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
45° 26' 30'' North , 64° 2' 38'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Parrsboro | 1,472 (2014) | 22.4km |
| Springhill | 3,940 (2008) | 23.2km |
| Oxford | 1,283 (2008) | 35.3km |
| Hantsport | 1,253 (2008) | 42.7km |
| Amherst | 9,336 (2008) | 45.2km |
Summary of Felderhof:
This deposit first attracted interest in 1849. The underground Eureka Mine opened 1866. This is thought to be the first barite mine in Canada. It operated under various owners between 1866-1876 and received sporadic attention until 1906. In 1907 there was additional development work. Ore was sent to Halifax for use in paint manufacturing.
Willimott writes in 1883:
"This mine is situated near the village of Five Islands, in Colchester County, and was worked about eight years ago by an American company.
About fifteen levels have been driven in the side of a hill, the longest of which would be about 100 yards, cutting a soft calcareous disintegrating rock, often enclosing masses of impure bituminous coal. Alternating with the above soft beds are others of a harder nature, being more decidedly argillaceous.
The decaying timbers, supporting the roof of the levels, and the threatening sliding nature of the rock, offered no inducement to explore their walls, even for a few feet.
A small opening has been recently made by the proprietor, developing a portion of the decomposing calcareous rock, cut by large aggregated masses of calcite crystals, the members of which are easily detached in highly modified forms. The secondary planes are often so complicated as to obliterate almost all traces of the rhombohedron.
The barite, however, is quite as conspicuous, often protruding several inches in milk white lamellar masses, invested by tabular crystals of the same mineral.
Masses weighing more than one hundred pounds, beautifully crystallised, have been found, associated with dog-tooth spar, chalcopyrite, and specular iron ore.
I am inclined to think that the mineral is in pockets and irregular veins, rather than in a continuous bed or vein.
The total amount said to have been extracted since the mines were first opened may be estimated at over 3000 tons."
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
7 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Baryte Formula: BaSO4 Habit: Tabular Colour: Beige Fluorescence: Edges of crystals fluoresce green |
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 Habit: Scalenohedral crystals Colour: White Fluorescence: Pale red fluorescence |
| ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ Fluorite Formula: CaF2 |
| ⓘ Hematite Formula: Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Fluorite | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Hematite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| C | Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Ba | Barium | |
| Ba | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Avalonia TerraneVolcanic Arc
- Carolinia DomainDomain
- Magdalen basinBasin
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Eureka mine, Five Islands, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia, Canada