Government of Ontario| Skip Header Navigation Menu | Ministry of Northern Development and Mines
Government of Ontario Central Site.Contact us for questions and comments.Search the Ministry of ... Web site.Site map for the ministry Web site.Version française de cette page.
  WHO WE ARE  |  MINES AND MINERALS  |  NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT  |  THE MNDM NETWORK  |  NEWS RELEASES

Location: Ministry Home > Mines and Mineral Division > Information and Marketing Services > Amethyst

  Friday, July 25, 2008

Images of Ontario
Information and Marketing Home
News Releases

Visit our listing of news releases.

Search

Our Search Site allows you to search the MNDM Website Ontario Government Web Sites, Telephone listings, Programs and Offices.

Image of trees

MINES AND MINERALS DIVISION

Ontario Amethyst
Ontario's Mineral Emblem

  
Pyramid-shaped amethyst crystals. Sample is from the Thunder Bay area.

Pyramid-shaped amethyst crystals. Sample is from the Thunder Bay area.
Ministry of Northern Development and Mines specimen and photo.

Amethyst is valued not only for its striking colour and rarity, but also for its reflective nature and its durability. Such qualities led to the selection of amethyst as Ontario’s mineral emblem by the Honourable Leo Bernier, Minister of Natural Resources, on May 14, 1975. The Mineral Emblem Act received first reading in the Provincial Legislature on June 17th and Royal Assent on July 8, 1975.

While occurring worldwide, amethyst is in rich supply along the Lake Superior’s north shore near Thunder Bay. It is also found in the Bancroft and North Bay areas.

The earliest mention of amethyst near Lake Superior dates back to the 1600s, but the first large deposit was discovered in 1955 in McTavish Township just east of Thunder Bay. In the Thunder Bay area, amethyst crystals formed in cavities created during the Keweenawan faulting of the Lake Superior basin about 1.1 billion years ago. Here amethyst is found with other minerals such as pyrite, galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, calcite, fluorite, and native silver. Amethyst occurs as beautiful purple crystals, with some having a thin layer of reddish brown hematite trapped just beneath their surface.

 

Top Next
top next

Last Modified: d/m/y 30-12-02


| central site | feedback | search | site map | français |
| Who We Are | Mines and Minerals | Northern Development | The MNDM Network | News Releases |

This site is maintained by the Government of Ontario, Canada.

Privacy | External Links Disclaimer | General Disclaimer
 
To send us your comments, feedback or general inquiries please visit our feedback section.
Technical Inquiries to: webmaster.ndm@ontario.ca
 
Copyright information:© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008
Last Modified: July 25, 2003