Unusual Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen Jasper got its name as this  reddish material was originally found at the Mary Ellen iron mine I believe in Gilbert MN. So any of the stromatolites in this area are called Mary Ellen no mater what mine they are from, even the ones we find in the pits. Mary Ellen is usually the reddish orange (laurentian mine) or brick red and black (Mary Ellen mine) and inferior material in different mines. Everywhere else I believe they just refer to them as stromatolites. There is material that has formed in mats instead of the defined columns we usually associate with the stromatolites. I will try and get a pic of that.  The material found in the pits can be orange, purple and any color inbetween. This is cause by the staining of minerals in the soil. The material in the mines is blasted out during their regular operations and turned in to steel. It is ancient iron rich mountains, and forms in thick seams. The material in the pits are the same origin but deposited in the glacial till about 7 to 11 thousand years ago in this area. If it is like Lake Superior agates it would be found as far south as Kansas and west to Nebraska. Kind of long winded and I hope this didn't confuse.