Hematite

Unknown Owner

Bright metallic lustrous micaceous crystallized hematite coming off matrix. Collected in 1998. The luster on this is incredible.The Old Richmond Mine near Palmer in Marquette County, Michigan, was part of the early iron mining activity in the Marquette Iron Range that began in the mid 19th century. Mining focused on hematite iron ore hosted in Precambrian rocks, with operations developed through underground workings and open cuts. The mine contributed to the growth of the regional iron industry, which supplied raw material for expanding industrial centers in the United States. Like many early mines in the area, activity declined as higher grade deposits were exhausted and mining shifted to larger operations, leaving the Old Richmond Mine as part of the historic iron mining heritage of northern Michigan.