﻿228 Ca7iadia7i Record of Science. 



On the Occurrence of Cancrinite in Canada. 



By Alfred E. Barlow, M.A., Geological Survey of Canada. 



The presence of this mineral in Canada was first 

 detected by Dr. B. J. Harrington, of McGill University, 

 in the elreolite syenites of Montreal and Beloeil, in the 

 Province of Quebec. Dr. Harrington thus writes of its 

 occurrence at these localities:^ "Some of the syenites 

 are traversed by segregated veins, which contain the 

 minerals of the enclosing rock as well as a number of 

 additional species. One of these veins has afforded both 

 acmite and cancrinite as to be readily available for analy- 

 sis." During the past summer (August, 1896) this mineral 

 was also noticed as an occasional constituent in one of the 

 masses of ela3olite syenite occurring in the north-west 

 portion of the township of Dungannon, Hastings County, 

 Ontario. The cancrinite occurs usually in small irregular 

 masses, with rather ill-defined boundaries, and so inti- 

 mately associated with nepheline as to be separable only 

 with extreme difficulty. The nepheline is present in 

 large cleavable masses and coarse crystals, with a distinct 

 greasy lustre, thus constituting the variety to which the 

 name elseolite has been applied. The cancrinite is 

 translucent, of a pale citron-yellow color, gradually fading 

 on exposure to the weather. It has a subvitreous and 

 somewhat greasy lustre. The alteration from nepheline is 

 undoubted, the cleavage planes, in contiguous masses or 

 areas, being common to both, while the boundaries between 

 the two are rarely, if ever, sharp or distinct. Sodalite, 

 biotite, albite and molybdenite are some of the other 

 minerals with which the cancrinite is associated. Speci- 

 mens for analysis were handed to Dr. Harrington, but the 

 material so supplied was unsuitable. Better and more 

 abundant material has been secured, and a complete ana- 

 lysis of the material will shortly be undertaken by Dr. 

 Harrington and published. 



1 Trans. Hoy. Soc. Can., Vol. I., Sect. III., p. SI— 1882-83. 



