Fergusonite-(Y) - Evans Lou Mine, St. Pierre-de, Wakefield, Quebec, Canada

YNbO₄

Fergusonite-(Y) is a rare yttrium niobium oxide mineral with the formula YNbO₄, typically found in granitic pegmatites and hydrothermal veins. The specimen from the Evans Lou Mine in St. Pierre-de-Wakefield, Quebec, Canada, is especially noteworthy for its well-defined, crystalline habit and its geological context within the highly mineralized Wakefield pegmatite district. At this locality, fergusonite-(Y) often occurs as brown to dark reddish-brown prismatic crystals, occasionally with a resinous to vitreous luster. These crystals are frequently associated with other rare-earth minerals, such as allanite, gadolinite, and euxenite, within coarse-grained pegmatitic matrices.

The Evans Lou Mine, renowned for its diversity of rare minerals, provides an ideal environment for the crystallization of fergusonite-(Y). The mineralization here is closely tied to the region's Proterozoic granite intrusions, which underwent extensive fractionation and fluid activity. These geological processes facilitated the concentration of rare-earth elements and niobium, key components of fergusonite-(Y). Collectors and researchers value specimens from this locality for their scientific significance and aesthetic appeal, as they offer insights into pegmatite formation and rare-earth mineral paragenesis in a classic Canadian locality.

Approx. specimen size: 32mm x 13mm 15mm

Approx. activity on an SE International Ranger EXP: 13500 cpm