Mine Cristal FAQ

When will the store be open?

We are no longer open to the public i.e. the store and museum are closed and there are no longer any concerts.

When is the next concert?

See answer above.

How can I purchase …?

If you wish to purchase a Quartzophone® instrument (harp or lyre) please contact us! We ship these instruments throughout Quebec and Canada. If you are from another country, please contact us and we will refer you to an authorized retailer of Quartzophone instruments near you!

Who owns the mine?

Gaudry Normand and Pauline Normand are the owners and administrators: they have been personally running the business since they founded it in 1989.

Can I visit the mine?

After 30 years as a tourist attraction — during which time we received more than 350,000 visitors — we have decided to concentrate our energies on other vocations, going forward. For that reason, we no longer offer mine tours, nor is there any public access to the mining site. Current vocations are the conception, production and sales of Quartzophone instruments, as well as harvesting crystals in our crystal mine.

Can I come dig for crystals in your mine?

As there is no public access to the mining site, it is not possible to mine crystals at our site. See answer above.

Do you still mine crystals?

Absolutely! Since 1989 we have been collecting the quartz crystals in our quartz vein on a small scale, by hand, without using dynamite, and this vocation continues today. We sell these unique specimens to retailers and to customers who meet minimum purchase requirements. Contact us by email to place an order.

What kind of crystals do you find in the mine?

Our crystals are composed of pure quartz; they are either white, semi-transparent or transparent. They can be single points or more commonly, clusters of points joined together. Quartz crystals formed in our mine approximately 300 million years ago. To date, the biggest crystal cluster we have discovered is about 2 feet (60 cm) in diameter. And of course, you never know what the future will bring 😃! We have posted a great video on our YouTube channel which has almost 2 million views so far, that shows how we mine the crystals.

I would like to learn more about Quartzophone instruments.

Quartzophone instruments (lyres and harps) were invented by Gaudry Normand in 2011, after 12 years of research and development. We make them by hand in our workshop here at the mine, incorporating into each instrument unique mechanisms that suspend highly resonant tubes made of pure, transparent quartz crystal. Our instruments are sold all over the world: to date, we have received over 16 patents! You will find lots more information on the Quartzophone page. Check out the videos on our YouTube channel. You may contact us at any time to place an order and receive it by mail (Quebec and Canada). If you are from another country, contact us and we will recommend an authorized retailer near you.

Do you sell Quartzophone instruments wholesale?

We have a network of authorized Quartzophone retailers in many countries around the world. If you have a retail business and you wish to sell these unique and divine instruments, please contact us.

Do you sell crystals by the kilo?

No. We harvest the quartz crystals in our mine by hand, as needed, a few days per year. The limited quantity of crystals that we mine are sold as individual specimens.