Museum Acquires a Rockhounds $4.5 Million Mineral Collection

Over the years, Gilles Haineault would scour a nearby quarry for interesting finds. Now, his best specimens have been acquired by the Canadian Museum of Nature at a value of $4.5 million.

The Gilles Haineault Mineral Collection

Collection is a National Treasure

The Mont Saint-Hilaire mineral collection is a national treasure, boasting a collection of minerals that are not only unique in Canada, but also in the world. This collection, located near Montreal, Quebec, has been a draw for mineral enthusiasts for decades, and has been carefully curated by collector Gilles Haineault for over 35 years. Recognized by research scientists and curators at the Canadian Museum of Nature, as well as mineralogists around the world, the collection has now been acquired by the museum, with the support of the Nature Foundation.

Specimens Collected By One Man

Throughout the years, Gilles Haineault was a regular visitor to the rock quarry Carrières Mont Saint-Hilaire, previously known as the Carrière Poudrette. Due to his frequent visits, he was given special permission to search through the rubble produced by blasting. On occasion, he would go for months without discovering anything noteworthy, as it depended on where the workers were blasting and if he arrived before the rock was transported away by large trucks.

A Very Unique Collection

Gilles Haineault’s mineral collection of 8,000 specimens is considered to be the most systematic and complete collection of Mont Saint-Hilaire minerals in the world. The majority of the specimens in the collection are research-grade and will be valuable resources for scientists, university researchers, and other mineralogists at museums around the world. This includes minerals associated with rare earth elements, which are critical to the functioning of technology such as phones and MRI machines.

Mineralogically Diverse Locality

With 430 different mineral species present, Mont Saint-Hilaire is considered the most mineralogically diverse location in Canada and is rivaled by only a few select sites around the world. The collection boasts 66 new discoveries, minerals whose unique chemical compositions have never been found elsewhere. These minerals can range from visually stunning, such as carletonite, a vibrant royal blue mineral named after Carleton University, to those with more scientific significance. The acquisition of Haineault’s collection is expected to reveal even more new and unique mineral species.

The acquisition of this national treasure by the Canadian Museum of Nature ensures that it will remain accessible to Canadians and will be preserved for future generations. However, to fully realize the potential of the Gileno Moscentilau mineral collection, investment is needed through the Nature Foundation for research equipment, digitization, education, and preservation. This will contribute to inspiring future generations of earth scientists and mineral enthusiasts and advancing natural resource literacy.

Read more details about this incredible story at Maclean’s in an article they published called, How a Quebec rock-collector amassed a multi-million-dollar ‘national treasure’