morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 7, 2012 5:21:03 GMT -5
So as some of you may know, I'm a banded iron formation freak. Well, I was driving home from work the other day and out off the road I noticed and old building foundation in the woods that normally you wouldn't see because of foliage. So being the weirdo I am, I pulled over to explore. Behind the foundation about 100 yards into the woods was a pile of blast rock. Almost ALL of it was BIF's! After some research I found out that the building was the engine house for Bishop Pit #2. When the mine closed, they must have just dumped a huge pile of waste rock behind it. I'm in heaven!
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shermlock
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2011
Posts: 612
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Post by shermlock on Apr 7, 2012 7:17:29 GMT -5
I love that stuff too...wish I could find it on my side of the Lake. It is beautiful. I'm glad your curiosity paid off. Good job hunting it down! Scott
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Post by Toad on Apr 7, 2012 8:21:42 GMT -5
So let's see pics...
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Post by helens on Apr 7, 2012 9:00:26 GMT -5
What an exciting find!!! Would love some pix:). How big was the pile?
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Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 7, 2012 11:37:30 GMT -5
Hey Morsefire, I just picked up some BIFs in Michigan's U.P. I don't think they're the best quality, but I'd like to tumble them. Is there anything special I should know?
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morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 7, 2012 17:15:25 GMT -5
I'll post some pics of these roughs in a bit. Juggler, I really can tell you much except some will virtually disappear in the tumbler and some that make it through put on a hell of shine. I'm still experimenting. One thing I i have been doing is tumbling them with river rock for cushion and that has helped with smoothness.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 7, 2012 21:18:23 GMT -5
Is river rock better than ceramic media?
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Apr 7, 2012 21:28:38 GMT -5
What is BIF's? Can't wait to see pics,,, steve
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Post by paulshiroma on Apr 8, 2012 0:44:50 GMT -5
Ditto on the pics! This is a serious teaser. Looks like you've got yourself a terrific find! Paul
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morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 8, 2012 9:48:46 GMT -5
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Post by NatureNut on Apr 8, 2012 10:21:06 GMT -5
Oh man, I really love Jaspelite. Looks so great polished. Jo
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Post by helens on Apr 8, 2012 11:13:50 GMT -5
Wowsers.... well, if you can have the whole pile, you will have no shortage of traders for your rock to fill out the rest of your collection Morse! That is just beautiful stuff!!
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Post by Pat on Apr 8, 2012 11:47:29 GMT -5
What a wonderful find! Hope you post after you've worked on them.
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morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 8, 2012 17:03:07 GMT -5
Went to do some more exploring today. I have realized I just touched the tip of the iceberg. Upon further investigation, the pile I ran into originally is nothing compared to what I found today. The entire property is studded with test pits and piles. Kinda creepy the deeper into the woods you get you find the oddest things. There's so much moss and likens covering everything. It's not til you start flipping rocks over that you realize what you're standing in. Anyway, here's some pix. Today one pile I found was huge chunks of quartz imbedded in the jaspelite. Awesome hunt today! This is the old engine house foundation that led me on this hunt originally. Bucket isn't going to cut it. I need a dumptruck! All in all an exciting day. Heading back tomorrow after work. I gps'd about 4 different piles.
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morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 8, 2012 18:34:44 GMT -5
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Post by helens on Apr 8, 2012 22:36:23 GMT -5
That is fascinating history!!! Who owns that area now? Maybe you should ask if you can haul the tailings away for them? Or get the mining claim for it? Those rocks are not considered iron itself right? Maybe a good idea to make sure you won't get in trouble for it... and with permission, move it ALL to your house:P. Seems like a lot of money worth of rocks right there...
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morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 9, 2012 6:12:18 GMT -5
Hi Helen. I wondered that as well so I checked into it. The southern and western edges of the property were subdivided off. A public use land grant covers the eastern and northern edge. There's a state snowmobile trail through it. The ore in this rock is so low grade, that's why they dumped it. It should be slated as a superfund site. Back then, the dump was wherever you through something. There are cans, bottles, sheet tin, vehicles, and other remnants strewn throughout the entire area. Watch your step and wear good boots and gloves. I keep a low profile however and I never cross posted land.
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morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 9, 2012 6:14:00 GMT -5
Besides, this will be RTH's little secret. If you're ever in town, look me up.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 9, 2012 12:19:39 GMT -5
Yeah, way too much jasper to be of value as ore. There's BIF all over northern MN, so it's not really worth much. The miners hated the jasper because it was so much harder than the hematite. It is pretty, though.
Morse: nothing on the web is a secret. Would love to know if you find Binghamite.
Chuck
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morsefire
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2011
Posts: 83
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Post by morsefire on Apr 9, 2012 21:27:33 GMT -5
Whatever I find will posted here. It's just a dump. They missed or didn't care about the pretty stuff. Their loss
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