Hematite var. Kidney Ore

Unknown Owner

Help improve this recordNo owner is registered for this specimen yet. If it's yours or you know more about it, you can add the owner, provenance, publications and other details.

At 12 kg in weight you will probably not want to display this northern English classic on a glass shelf. Botryoidal Hematite, known by the varietal name 'Kidney Ore', is iconic to the West Cumbrian Iron Mining District, but all too often the spectacular specimens are simply recorded as from that mining district rather than to an individual mine. This one is different, and comes from a less well-known mine, or mines - the Park Mines, near Dalton-in-Furness in the southern part of the West Cumbrian Iron Mining District. This is because it is ex Eric Holland Collection, former mine and quarry manager and author of several books on mining in Cumbria. Eric knew the mines intimately, and was the last man to fill the ore waggons at the last of the Furness mines to close. This very large specimen of 'Kidney Ore' Hematite is very tactile and is perfectly suited to open display or handling. Its upper surfaces are extremely rounded for 'Kidney Ore', almost egg-shaped, but underneath the classic 'onion-skin' layering is well developed, with bands to over 3 cm in thickness. A really fine larger West Cumbrian Hematite from an uncommon locality.