Riverside Quarry (Western Quarry), White Rock Mining District, Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Riverside Quarry (Western Quarry) | Quarry |
| White Rock Mining District | Mining District |
| Middletown | - not defined - |
| Middlesex County | County |
| Connecticut | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
41° 33' 28'' North , 72° 36' 12'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | 5,862 (2017) | 3.5km |
| Middletown | 46,756 (2017) | 4.0km |
| Cromwell | 13,750 (2017) | 5.4km |
| Higganum | 1,698 (2017) | 7.8km |
| East Hampton | 2,691 (2017) | 8.6km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Lapidary and Mineral Society of Central Connecticut | Meriden, Connecticut | 17km |
| Bristol Gem & Mineral Club | Bristol, Connecticut | 31km |
| New Haven Mineral Club | New Haven, Connecticut | 39km |
A small quarry in pegmatite cut into the northwest end of the so-called Eastern Dike of the White Rock District, just above a steep bluff on the south side of River Road. It is just east of the entrance to the Kleen Energy power plant, the lowermost dump was exposed during the blasting used to create this entrance and it can be seen in the trees above the rock face. The oft-reproduced map of the Middletown Pegmatite District in Cameron et al (1954) shows it in the wrong location (much too far east) leading to incorrect directions in Schooner (1958). Stugard (1958) names it as the "Western Quarry".
It was described by Bastin (1910) as:
A small quarry...operated in 1907 by L. T. Snow, of New Haven, but work was suspended in 1908. The quarry consists of a single open pit on a northwest hill slope....Some masses of pure feldspar are 2 to 3 feet across...Both biotite [annite] and black tourmaline are present but are not abundant.
Watts (1916) stated:
The east dike is a widely varying mixture of potash feldspar pegmatite and soda feldspar pegmatite. It is much smaller in extent than the west dike and shows a structure similar to the gem bearing dikes of Maine. Much cleavelandite is scattered through this dike, and black, pink, and green tourmaline are noted, although the tourmalines are all opaque and not of the gem quality.
It may have been worked by the Consolidated Feldspar Company, which worked the White Rocks Quarry at the summit of the hill on the same pegmatite dike until around 1927 and both quarries revealed similar mineralogy and internal zoning. Collectors frequented the quarry for decades and often referred to it as the "lower White Rocks quarry" or the "quarry behind the trailers" for the mobile homes that were parked near it for a while. The quarry and dumps still exist but are inaccessible on the Kleen Energy property.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Albite Formula: Na(AlSi3O8) Habit: massive, anhedral Colour: white |
| ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite Formula: Na(AlSi3O8) Habit: platy masses Colour: white |
| ⓘ Almandine Formula: Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3 Habit: subhedral trapezohedrons Colour: reddish purple References: |
| ⓘ Annite Formula: KFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Beryl Formula: Be3Al2(Si6O18) Habit: anhedral to subhedral hexagonal prisms Colour: pale green, pale yellow Description: Crystals rather crude but typically partly encrusted with fine-grained, feathery elbaite or schorl. References: |
| ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine Formula: Be3Al2Si6O18 Habit: subhedral hexagonal prisms Colour: blue Description: Not as common as other beryl varieties. References: |
| ⓘ Beryl var. Morganite Formula: Be3Al2(Si6O18) Habit: anhedral to subhedral hexagonal prisms Colour: pink References: |
| ✪ 'Calciomicrolite' Habit: octahedral Colour: dark yellow-green, brown, black Description: Usually tiny crystal <5 mm. A crystal from the White Rocks Quarry further up the same pegmatite dike was analyzed by EDS and found to be calciomicrolite. References: |
| ⓘ Cassiterite Formula: SnO2 Habit: anhedral Colour: red-brown with iridescence Description: Microcrystalline grains associated with cleavelandite, quartz, muscovite, calciomicrolite and elbaite. References: |
| ⓘ Columbite-(Fe) Formula: Fe2+Nb2O6 Habit: blocky to prismatic Colour: black with iridescence References: |
| ⓘ Cookeite Formula: (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 Habit: fine-grained, globular Colour: pale yellow References: |
| ⓘ Elbaite Formula: Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) Habit: acicular Colour: green, watermellon, pale blue and pink Description: Crystals abundant but not terminated or gemmy. Typically acicular aggregates in pegmatite matrix, penetrating muscovite books, or as fine-grained crystals coating beryl. Also as thin overgrowths on schorl. |
| ⓘ 'Feldspar Group' |
| ⓘ 'Feldspar Group var. Perthite' |
| ⓘ Fluorapatite Formula: Ca5(PO4)3F Habit: subhedral prisms to skeletal Colour: white to pale gray Fluorescence: yellow References: |
| ⓘ Fluorite Formula: CaF2 Habit: massive Colour: red |
| ⓘ Fluorite var. Chlorophane Formula: CaF2 References: |
| ⓘ Goethite Formula: Fe3+O(OH) References: |
| ⓘ 'Lepidolite' Habit: fine-grained granular, globular agregates Colour: gray-pink, lavender, purple References: |
| ⓘ Meta-autunite Formula: Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O Habit: massive coatings Colour: pale yellow-green Fluorescence: green Description: Halos around tiny weathered uraninite grains. References: |
| ⓘ Microcline Formula: K(AlSi3O8) Habit: anhedral Colour: tan to white |
| ✪ 'Microlite Group' Formula: A2-mTa2X6-wZ-n Habit: octahedral Colour: yellow-green to brownish black Description: Usually tiny crystal <5 mm. A crystal from the White Rocks Quarry further up the same pegmatite dike was analyzed by EDS and found to be calciomicrolite. References: |
| ⓘ Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 Habit: mostly anhedral, some subhedral pseudo-hexagonal tabular crystals Colour: silvery to golden-brown References: |
| ⓘ Opal Formula: SiO2 · nH2O Habit: massive coatings Colour: colorless Fluorescence: green Description: Usually not noticeable until a specimen is illuminated by UV light. The coatings are thin and colorless but may give a waxy appearance to the surface. References: |
| ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN Formula: SiO2 · nH2O Habit: massive coatings Colour: colorless Fluorescence: green Description: Usually not noticeable until a specimen is illuminated by UV light. The coatings are thin and colorless but may give a waxy appearance to the surface. References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Habit: massive, anhedral Colour: pale gray to black References: |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Rose Quartz Formula: SiO2 Habit: massive Colour: grayish pink to orange-pink References: |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz Formula: SiO2 Habit: massive, anhedral Colour: pale gray to black References: |
| ⓘ Schorl Formula: NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) Habit: trigonal prisms with curved faces, non-terminated Colour: black Description: Typically coated with a thin layer of green or green and pink elbaite. |
| ⓘ Uraninite Formula: UO2 Habit: crude octahedrons or blebs Colour: black Description: Usually tiny grains, altered and surrounded by halos of secondary minerals. References: |
| ⓘ Zircon Formula: Zr(SiO4) Habit: prisms with pyramidal terminations Colour: brown Description: Typically tiny grains. References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Fluorite var. Chlorophane | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| ⓘ | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 | |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Goethite | 4.00. | Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ | 'Microlite Group' | 4.00. | A2-mTa2X6-wZ-n |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Rose Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Smoky Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Opal var. Opal-AN | 4.DA.10 | SiO2 · nH2O |
| ⓘ | 4.DA.10 | SiO2 · nH2O | |
| ⓘ | Cassiterite | 4.DB.05 | SnO2 |
| ⓘ | Columbite-(Fe) | 4.DB.35 | Fe2+Nb2O6 |
| ⓘ | Uraninite | 4.DL.05 | UO2 |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Fluorapatite | 8.BN.05 | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| ⓘ | Meta-autunite | 8.EB.10 | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Almandine | 9.AD.25 | Fe2+3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ | Zircon | 9.AD.30 | Zr(SiO4) |
| ⓘ | Beryl var. Aquamarine | 9.CJ.05 | Be3Al2Si6O18 |
| ⓘ | 9.CJ.05 | Be3Al2(Si6O18) | |
| ⓘ | var. Morganite | 9.CJ.05 | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| ⓘ | Elbaite | 9.CK.05 | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| ⓘ | Schorl | 9.CK.05 | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Annite | 9.EC.20 | KFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Cookeite | 9.EC.55 | (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 |
| ⓘ | Microcline | 9.FA.30 | K(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ | Albite | 9.FA.35 | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ | var. Cleavelandite | 9.FA.35 | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Feldspar Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Lepidolite' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Feldspar Group var. Perthite' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Calciomicrolite' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Annite | KFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Cookeite | (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 |
| H | ⓘ Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN | SiO2 · nH2O |
| H | ⓘ Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Opal | SiO2 · nH2O |
| H | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Li | Lithium | |
| Li | ⓘ Cookeite | (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 |
| Li | ⓘ Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Be | Beryllium | |
| Be | ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine | Be3Al2Si6O18 |
| Be | ⓘ Beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| Be | ⓘ Beryl var. Morganite | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| B | Boron | |
| B | ⓘ Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| B | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| O | ⓘ Annite | KFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine | Be3Al2Si6O18 |
| O | ⓘ Almandine | Fe32+Al2(SiO4)3 |
| O | ⓘ Beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| O | ⓘ Cassiterite | SnO2 |
| O | ⓘ Cookeite | (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 |
| O | ⓘ Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Columbite-(Fe) | Fe2+Nb2O6 |
| O | ⓘ Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| O | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN | SiO2 · nH2O |
| O | ⓘ Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| O | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| O | ⓘ Beryl var. Morganite | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Opal | SiO2 · nH2O |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Rose Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Uraninite | UO2 |
| O | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| O | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Fluorite var. Chlorophane | CaF2 |
| F | ⓘ Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| F | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Na | Sodium | |
| Na | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Na | ⓘ Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Na | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Na | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Al | ⓘ Annite | KFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine | Be3Al2Si6O18 |
| Al | ⓘ Almandine | Fe32+Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Al | ⓘ Beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| Al | ⓘ Cookeite | (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 |
| Al | ⓘ Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Al | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| Al | ⓘ Beryl var. Morganite | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Al | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | ⓘ Annite | KFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine | Be3Al2Si6O18 |
| Si | ⓘ Almandine | Fe32+Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Si | ⓘ Beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| Si | ⓘ Cookeite | (LiAl4◻)[AlSi3O10](OH)8 |
| Si | ⓘ Elbaite | Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Si | ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN | SiO2 · nH2O |
| Si | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | ⓘ Beryl var. Morganite | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Opal | SiO2 · nH2O |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Rose Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Si | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| P | ⓘ Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Annite | KFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| K | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Fluorite var. Chlorophane | CaF2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| Ca | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Annite | KFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Almandine | Fe32+Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Columbite-(Fe) | Fe2+Nb2O6 |
| Fe | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Zr | Zirconium | |
| Zr | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Nb | Niobium | |
| Nb | ⓘ Columbite-(Fe) | Fe2+Nb2O6 |
| Sn | Tin | |
| Sn | ⓘ Cassiterite | SnO2 |
| Ta | Tantalum | |
| Ta | ⓘ Microlite Group | A2-mTa2X6-wZ-n |
| U | Uranium | |
| U | ⓘ Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| U | ⓘ Uraninite | UO2 |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Ganderia DomainDomain
- GranderiaPassive Margin
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References
Bastin, Edson S. (1910) Economic geology of the feldspar deposits of the United States. Bulletin 420. US Geological Survey doi:10.3133/b420
Foye, Wilbur G. (1922) Mineral localities in the vicinity of Middletown, Connecticut. American Mineralogist, 7 (1) 4-12
Cameron, Eugene N., Larrabee, David M., McNair, Andrew H., Page, James J., Stewart, Glen W., Shainin, Vincent E. (1954) Pegmatite Investigations, 1942-45, in New England. Geological Survey Professional Paper 255. US Geological Survey doi:10.3133/pp255
Riverside Quarry, White Rock Mining District, Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, USA