This book is the long awaited 14th volume in the Mineralogical Association of Canada series that deals with one of the most mineralogically diverse and unique sites in the world. It also marks a return to the full-size editions like the earlier volumes in this generally excellent series. All of these books have dealt with a wide variety of subjects meant to be of interest to both the collector and the professional Earth scientist. Furthermore, it also represents the first attempt, in print, to describe systematically the “history, geology (and) mineralogy” of Mont Saint-Hilaire (MSH) located some 45 km east of the city of Montreal, Canada.
As indicated in the preface, this book took >20 years of preparation. The result of all this work by the four authors is a >600 page discussion of all things ‘MSH’. It is very large.
The principal author had previously contributed to volume no. 6 in the series on Canadian minerals. The descriptions in that volume of minerals first found at MSH were very well done and whetted the appetite for this book about MSH. It may impress those who only know a small part of the MSH story. However, to this reviewer, it is a disappointment that falls short as a true contribution to mineralogy and to the series.
According to the publisher, the books in this series are intended to be a tool to help better understand mineralogy from around the world. However, the books in the series are meant to be in a format that is readily understandable and a useful, quick reference for both the average collector and the professional. Previous volumes have a certain consistency that makes them truly part of the series, both in terms of the space devoted to the subject at hand as well as the quality, reliability and balance of the information presented. In each case they have sought to provide a tool for understanding the location discussed which is why these books are of such interest to professionals and amateurs alike. Most collectors, whether amateur or professional, collected specimens at MSH after the early- to mid-1970s and have probably amassed a large number of specimens. This was a period of complex change in the minerals found at a given time. Help in understanding this complexity is needed for a locality such as MSH. For example, photographs illustrating the differences between the same minerals from different rocks, from different locations and from different periods would have been very helpful.
The book begins with a history of MSH, though one may question the relevance of 18th century information to the history of the Quarry itself, which did not exist at the time. Nor was the geology of MSH well understood. More information could have been presented on the early collecting history instead.
The next section gives short biographies on people who worked on MSH. While important early collectors like Henry Budgen are barely mentioned, and others not at all, there is great emphasis on more recent collectors. A wider outreach to the MSH collecting community for information about this location would have helped to extend the coverage of those who contributed to its history in a more balanced way. Some key information relevant to the history of collecting at MSH is missing. No mention is made of the important role of the Montreal Gem and Mineral Club in the early days and no information is given about how the Club de Minéralogie came to take over organised fieldtrips.
In relation to the geology of MSH, there is much discussion of the Monteregian Hills; less would have sufficed. Furthermore, the chapter on the geology of MSH is entitled ‘Geology of the Poudrette Quarry’. There were, in fact, several quarries at MSH which, only in later years, became part of Poudrette. The Demix Quarry is perhaps the best known of these. A geology, in chronological order and by individual quarries would have been a valuable addition.
Five lists of minerals by rock type are a useful inclusion, though photographs of rock samples were not included. Many photographs of people associated with MSH (including multiples of the same people) as well as pictures of only the most beautiful specimens collected have been included, however.
The mineral descriptions in this book represent a clear departure from the established format. The other volumes provide basic information on how each mineral occurs. This includes colour, diaphaneity, lustre, morphology and average size, as well as representative photographs. They also provided brief descriptions on occurrence(s) and mineral associations. Finally, they provided notes on any peculiarities of the mineral and the principal references from scientific journals. This was done to avoid reprinting large amounts of information readily available elsewhere and to allow space to publish information that is not generally available or that is needed to maximise convenience to the reader. While publishing significant amounts of technical information may be of interest, it does take up a lot of space that could have been used for information that is not readily available in the literature. In this book, there is little or no information on associations or typical visual and physical properties for the species discussed. Information of use to a collector with a box of unidentified specimens and who is looking for diagnostic information that will help them distinguish between species is lacking. In addition, the entries for each mineral do not have references to the literature. Because many minerals from MSH look similar, the traditional format would seem to have been more appropriate. There is a great need for more representative photos for the minerals in the various petrological contexts (including associations) and how they typically appeared from the different quarries from different times. Sage advice about what to look for in a sample from an eminently recognised expert like Horvath is in fact hungered for.
The species are also not logically put together as there is an inconsistent ordering of the minerals. Sometimes they are alphabetically presented, sometimes by group description and sometimes not. This makes it somewhat difficult to readily find some species in the book. For example, in earlier volumes in the series, minerals were listed in alphabetical order. Here, amphiboles are named in alphabetical order and described by group but garnet species are not. No explanation is given as to why one approach is used for some minerals and not for others. Adding to the difficulty of finding a species is that the groups themselves are listed alphabetically together with individual species. The author could have explained their approach, perhaps started with groups first and then list the rest of the minerals in alphabetical order. While comparing various species in a specific group is useful, it also implies that the average reader knows to which groups the (in some cases, very rare) minerals belong. Once the reader does find a mineral, they have to hunt for information about mineral associations, occurrences, similarity to other species and distinguishing characteristics that would provide a comparison between the members of a group.
Finally, there are very interesting but underdeveloped sections on the many pseudomorphs found and of fluorescence (a useful diagnostic tool). As there is no section on analysis or other techniques, it seems the specific information on pseudomorphs and certainly fluorescence, as they are listed alphabetically by the name of the mineral, could have been integrated into the individual mineral entries in the main body. If the fluorescence table were ordered by colour and wavelength then it would be easier to use for a collector with a UV lamp at hand. Almost as an afterthought, precious space was given to gems cut from some species, information which could have been integrated into the description of those minerals in the main body.
Mont Saint-Hilaire: History, Geology, Mineralogy represents a great effort and at great cost but better use of the printed page could have been achieved. This book falls short of what this reviewer would have hoped for.
