You found what? Over where?

So, a week and a half ago, I was in northern Minnesota, in the Iron Range, known for its iron ore mining. Now, it's all surface mining. But years ago, there was a mine at Tower/Sudan that was deep - like wake up a Balrog deep. Anyways, as I took my small family on a tour of this mine, I saw some of the stones lining the mine walls half a mile under ground, a different type of stone. In one spot, the tour guide pointed it out because water smoothed out the surface. Apparently it's Ely Greenstone, called such because of its color, and location where found - not in that order. Super old. Super hard. Kinda green.

I asked, "how can I get a couple pieces?" To which they replied "it's a federal crime to take any out of the mine." Well. There goes that idea. Or does it? Now, don't get me wrong, I did not take any from out of the mine...but they have recently excavated for a science lab, and deposited a bunch of the stones in the parking lot as fill. They also said those, were not protected. Score.

now, I've been too busy to take photos of the actual stones I snagged, but these are VERY similar:

I've tried looking it up, not a whole lot of info out there. Any worked with it tried a hone out of it?

I have not worked with the stone, but been to the mine. Good time. Didn't see a Balrog, though.:mace:

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Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

I have not worked with the stone, but been to the mine. Good time. Didn't see a Balrog, though.:mace:

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Nice use the emoji!

I have made quite a few hones out of very hard green rock. Now by very hard I mean very hard for a hone but certainly not on the rock scale. My rocks however did not come from deep in the earth, surface actually!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RezDog

I have made quite a few hones out of very hard green rock. Now by very hard I mean very hard for a hone but certainly not on the rock scale. My rocks however did not come from deep in the earth, surface actually!

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Why of course they come from deep in the earth. All rocks originate that way. Some just get modified later on in different ways.

I worked in Mountain Iron Minnesota, and lived in Chisholm on the range. Used to go drinking in them roadhouse bars in and around there. Bemidji, Keewatin, Grand Rapids, Virginia Minnesota. Back in the 1970s. IIRC the world's largest open pit mine was in Hibbing, MN.

That's what we call the Mesabi Range. Very old-Precambrian. Ancient mountains eroded and the iron dissolved in the ancient sea that was there and that combined with sea life and wa-la you have iron silicate-Taconite.