Albertite is a type of asphalt found in Albert County, New
Brunswick. It is a type of solid hydrocarbon. It is a deep black
and lustrous variety, and is less soluble in turpentine than the
usual type of asphalt. It is the only solid petroleum source known.
It was from Albertite that Kerosene was first created. Albertite is
named after the Albert County Mines in New Brunswick, Canada, from
whence it was first found. The occurrence at Albert Mines existed
as a series of discordant veins which were hosted in the core of an
anticlinal closure of a fold. It was initially mistaken for coal.
The geologists of the 1800s were at a loss as to describe how this
coal apparently came to lie discordant to the strata of the area,
as they did not yet understand the nature of the oil shale source
rock, nor the fact that the albertite was essentially solidified
asphaltum.
Once on site, look around in the shale on the ground. You will
easily be able to locate chunks of Albertite lying in the open. The
Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance
of various minerals through the ability of a harder material to
scratch a softer material.
In order to log this cache:
1. Test the hardness of a piece of Albertite
by trying to scratch it with your fingernail (hardness 2.5) and a
copper penny (hardness 3.5)
2. Send me the results of your Mohs scale
test, and
3. Post a picture of some Albertite in your
hand with your GPSr in your online log.
