The Canadian Museum of Nature
preserves Canada’s mineral diversity
in its national collection,
housed at its research and collections building
in Gatineau, Quebec.
Among its thousands of treasures
is this specimen of a rare mineral species
called Sérandite.
It dazzles with its intense orange colour,
which indicates the presence
of the element manganese.
The size and number of the sérandite crystals
also make this specimen a stand out.
Clinging to them are crystals
of another mineral called analcime.
The most beautiful specimens of sérandite
in the world come from the quarries
at Mont Saint Hilaire, Quebec.
Hundreds of mineral species
have been discovered at this site,
including this sérandite treasure,
which was excavated in 1974.
You can now experience the diversity
of Canada’s minerals, incuding the sérandite,
in the Canadian Museum of Nature’s
newly opened Earth Gallery. 
