Hematite

specimen number:
2262118

location:
Ironwood, Michigan, USA

description:
A fine example of compact needlelike crystallized hematite. These were often referred to as needle ore.

Ironwood, Michigan, is a key city within the Gogebic Range, one of the major iron-producing districts of the Lake Superior region. Geologically, the area is defined by the Ironwood Iron-Formation, a Paleoproterozoic sedimentary sequence consisting of alternating layers of chert and iron-rich minerals that underwent secondary enrichment to form massive ore bodies. The district is primarily noted for its soft, earthy hematite and hard, metallic specularite, which occur in high concentrations within the folded and faulted strata. Historically, mining and quarrying operations began in 1884 with the opening of the Norrie Mine, following the discovery of iron ore by Richard Langford. The industry expanded rapidly, with iconic sites like the Newport and Pavilion mines driving the local economy for decades. While the peak of production occurred during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, large-scale underground mining in the Ironwood area continued until the closure of the Peterson Mine in 1966.

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