Field Trips

A visit to explore the old dumps of Blessington mine, where minerals like apatite, scapolite, and tourmaline can be found.

The Beryl Pit is an open pit with a large field of mine dump material that has been bulldozed for easier finding. Originally, beryl was discovered in 1897 then the mine opened in the 1920s. There are a variety of minerals that can be found here including beryl, pyrite, columbite, euxenite, tourmaline, fluorite, various quartz,...

The Yates Mine was originally worked in 1906-07 for mica and fluorite and later in the 40's and 50's for fluorite and uranothorite. Possible minerals to be uncovered are: allanite, apatite, calcite, diopside, fluorite, microcline, molybdenite, phlogopite mica, pyroxene, scapolite thorianite, titanite, tremolite and zircon. There is a 20-25 minute walk through the woods on...

The Long Lake Zinc Mine (Sometimes called the Richardson Mine) started in 1897 with a number of mining operations in the early and mid 1900s focusing on zinc and lead ores. Minerals that can be found in the mine dumps (as shown above) are: calcite, chalcopyrite, diopside, galena, hydrozincite, molybdenite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, quartz, sphalerite (Italics:...

In the late 1800s, corundum was discovered near Combermere and soon after the Craigmont Corundum Mine was established. It was a large enterprise employing over 400 men in 1906. Join our "expedition" and a leading expert for a unique collecting experience and discover the 2nd hardest mineral next to diamonds. Corundum is 9 on the...

The Miller Property includes the Smart Mine established around 1880. Apatite was the main target because of its phosphate used as fertilizer. The main minerals that can be found are apatite, fluorapatite, calcite, biotite, microcline felspar, amazonite, titanite and zircon. Parking is fairly close to the diggings although low cars may want to park a...

The Bancroft Gem and Mineral Club holds its own Club Show on the Sunday before the Bancroft Rockhound Gemboree scheduled for July 31 - Aug 3, 2025. Bancroft club members offer a full range of minerals, gems and other products. A number of our OVMC members are travelling to Bancroft to support the Bancroft Club...

Note change in date from Aug 6 to Aug 20 (necessary for insurance purposes) Amherst Island is located just south of Kingston. We will meet at the Ferry at 10:00 am. After a short ferry ride at 10:30 am, we plan to visit two fossil locations: 11:00 am at Topsy Farms and in the afternoon...

Note change in plans to allow those only interested in a 1-day trip to Titanite Hill. Many members have already visited the CN Rock Pile so we have now scheduled Titanite Hill on Monday. Located about 25 minutes from Bancroft, Titanite Hill is part of the same local geology as the famous, now closed to...

DeWitts Corner, south of Perth, is known as one of the finest spinel crystal locations in Canada. It was originally a calcite mine for feeding a local kiln back in the 1840s. Note: View Doug Scott's Blog article about Dewitts Corner being lost and found again for a fascinating deep dive. Other minerals besides spinel...

The Beryl Pit is an open pit with a large field of mine dump material that has been bulldozed for easier finding. Originally, beryl was discovered in 1897 then the mine opened in the 1920s. There are a variety of minerals that can be found here including beryl, pyrite, columbite, euxenite, tourmaline, fluorite, various quartz,...

The Long Lake Zinc Mine (Sometimes called the Richardson Mine) started in 1897 with a number of mining operations in the early and mid 1900s focusing on zinc and lead ores. Minerals that can be found in the mine dumps (as shown above) are: aragonite, calcite, chondrodite, diopside, dolomite, hydrozincite, smithsonite, galena, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, quartz, sphalerite...