Locality: Joppa Hill, Bedford, NH
Specimen Size: 1.2 cm group of dark-green pargasite crystals.
Field Collected: Tom Mortimer
Catalog No.: U229
Notes:The EDS analysis plot has been reviewed by a well published mineralogist knowledgeable in the amphibole group. It is his opinion that this Joppa Hill amphibole is pargasite. An earlier analyst opinion was that this mineral was ferrohornblende, a close relative amphibole species.
In 2022, George Adleman provided Raman spectra from a sample of this Joppa Hill pargasite. George sent Raman plots showing correlation with pargasite and ferro-pargasite: Raman plot 1, Raman plot 2. George stated: "This material produced a very noisy (low S/N) but readable Raman response...visually comparing the sample Scan450 to RRUFF Ferro-Pargasite & Pargasite, I believe both are present, with the Ferro-Pargasite possibly favored."
Locality: Joppa Hill Locale, Amherst, NH
Specimen Size: 9 mm field of view
Field Collected: Tom Mortimer
Catalog No.: u2518
Notes: Collected from residential lot site off Pulpit Rd.
Locality: Joppa Hill, Bedford, NH
Specimen Size: 3.5 cm specimen
Field Collected: Tom Mortimer - '90
Catalog No.: 734
Notes: EDS analysis (BC489) of these dark blades was indefinite as to if this is ferro-pargasite or ferrohornblende. A small noisy peak at about 1 KeV for sodium (required for ferro-pargasite) was unmarked. Ferro-pargasite chemistry is: NaCa2(Fe4Al)Si6Al2O22(OH)2 . The chemistry computed from this BC489 analysis is: Ca2.94Fe4.22Mg1/10Al1.92,Si5.93O23 normalized for 23 O. Ferrohornblende, Ca2[Fe2+4(Al,Fe3+)](Si7Al)O22(OH)2 , has a similar element content, but Na is not included. Magnesiohornblende forms a series with ferrohornblende, with Mg replacing Fe. So this may be ferrohornblende with some magnesiohornblende component.
A Raman analysis of a similar Joppa Hill specimen favored ferro-pargasite.
A photo of the meionite-scapolite crystal on this #734 specimen is in the scapolite gallery.
The Joppa Hill locality sits on the Amherst-Bedford town line. This specimen came from the Bedford side.