David K. Joyce

Steep Rock Iron Mine, Atikokan, Ontario

Steep Rock Iron Mines has not operated for 25 years or so. It was a great iron mine and cranked out high grade iron ore and pellets between 1944 and 1980. It was the first operating mine that I ever visited when I was 14 years old! The iron ore and surrounding rock was strongly brecciated in places and the breccia was often filled with excellent calcite, ankerite, manganese oxides and quartz crystals. Here are some nice examples.

All prices in Canadian dollars. For payment in US$, deduct 18% or multiply by 0.82.

Click on any of the following thumbnails to view a larger image of the specimen.

Item #7883 Dave at Steep Rock Iron Mine cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $0.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada When I was fourteen years old, I won a trip to Steep Rock Iron Mines. Every year, the junior mineral club that I belonged to sent two kids off to lean about mining, geology, mineral processing, etc. We had a ball. We stayed at the directors' lodge, visited the open pit mine, the mill, the experimental underground mine and, of course, collected LOTS of great mineral specimens. The rock in and around the hematite ore was heavily brecciated in places and the breccia was often filled with excellent calcite, quartz, iron oxide and manganese oxide crystals. Steep Rock operated between 1944 and 1980 cranking out many tonnes of high grade ore and pellets. Mostly full of water now! Here are some interesting specimens from that venerable old producer.	Item #21328 Quartz 9.6x6.3x5.1 cm Largest Crystal Size: As above $65.00 Steep Rock Lake Atikokan Ontario, Canada A very nice, stout, clear, colourless quartz crystal from this famous mine. It is pretty, clear and glassy closer to the termination end with increasing milkiness torads the base. It is doubly terminated with a silgle termination at one end and multiple terminations near the lower end. It has a crystal shard attached near the termination. Some iron mineralization near the lower end as well. Looks great!	Item #21330 Siderite 11.8x8.2x4.2 cm Largest Crystal Size: 2mm $65.00 Hogarth Pit, Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada A strangely but interestingly, shaped cabinet specimen of hematite-reddened siderite crystals. Makes for a nice display piece!	Item #21335 Calcite 18.9x12.0x2.0 cm Largest Crystal Size: 10mm $75.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine, Hogarth Pit Atikokan Ontario, Canada A full plate of off white, slightly iron tinted calcite crystals. The crystals are prismatic with rhombohedral terminations. Nice example!
Item #22405 Goethite 5.9x6.0x4.8 cm Largest Crystal Size: as above $65.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada A solid piece of goethite showing splintery-crystallized structure and banded form. One of the ore types at this long-closed iron mine!	Item #22530 Hematite 7.8x4.5x4.9 cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $45.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada Excellent example of botryoidal hematite from this historic, long closed iron mine.	Item #24624 Hematite 5.0x3.7x2.5 cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $40.00 Errington Pit, Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada Lustrous, botryoidal, hematite from the long closed Errington Pit of Steep Rock Iron Mines. A large lake had to be drained to accomplish this mine. It was respected as an engineering feat in the 50's but would be condemned in the present environmentally sensitive times! s	Item #24762 Calcite 11.3x9.9x9.4 cm Largest Crystal Size: 20mm $65.00 Roberts Pit, Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada A cavity of beautiful, pure-white calcite crystals, in a vug lined by ferruginous dolomite crystals in iron-rich rock, from this famous old iron mine. It operated for many years but is now largely flooded. Looks great! s
Item #25164 Manganite 4.9x4.0x3.4 cm Largest Crystal Size: 10mm $45.00 Caland Pit, Steep Rock Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada Absolutely lustrous, pitch black manganite crystals with multiple terminations fill the top of this vug. Beautiful!	Item #25165 Manganite 5.1x4.2x2.9 cm Largest Crystal Size: 2mm $40.00 Caland Pit, Steep Rock Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada The front of this specimen is part of an opening in iron ore that exposes many, sharp. lustrous, pitch-black manganite crystals. Looks great and stands well for display.	Item #25221 Goethite 11.5x5.5x2.8 cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $40.00 Errington Pit, Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada Here is a plate of lustrous botryoidal goethite from this old iron mine that closed decades ago.	Item #25223 Goethite 8.8x6.3x5.1 cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $45.00 Steep Rock Mine Atikoken Ontario, Canada A handsome specimen of botryoidal goethite from the long-closed Steep Rock iron mine. Displays very well.
Item #26057 Goethite, Calcite 9.0x7.5x2.8 cm Largest Crystal Size: c-12mm $65.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada This specimen is mostly a plate of lustrous, botryoidal goethite but here and there is is obvious that the goethite formed on top of sharp, rhombohedral calcite crystals. The forms of the calcite crystals are obvious under the goethite. Interesting and shows well.	Item #27299 Manganite 6.7x4.53.8 cm Largest Crystal Size: 4mm $65.00 Caland Ore Property Atikokan Ontario, Canada The top of this iron/manganese oxide matrix is mostly covered by lustrous, prismatic manganite crystals in a sort of botryoidal covering. this habit is exemplified by the hemispherical button of manganite crystals at one side of the specimen. Very good example of this manganese mineral.	Item #27325 Manganite, Quartz 6.0x6.2x3.6 cm Largest Crystal Size: 12mm $45.00 Caland Ore Properties Atikokan Ontario, Canada This specimen shows an opening in siliceous iron ore that is lined with quartz crystals and round, radiating aggregates of terminated manganite crystals. Rich manganese! Interesting specimen from a long-closed mine.	Item #27622 Manganite 5.1x3.8x2.4 cm Largest Crystal Size: 5mm $55.00 Caland Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada The upper part of this specime nhas a bed of smaller manganite crystals that have elongated, bladed crystals laying on the smaller ones. The crystals are splendent, black and well formed. Very nice example from this long closed iron mine.
Item #28249 Hematite, Goethite 8.0x6.5x4.5 cm Largest Crystal Size: 34mm $40.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Quebec, Canada This piece is a portion of a botryoid that is both hematite and goethite. It appears that the hematite has partially altered to goethite in places. It is sawn on one small side to reveal the intergrowth. Famous old, long closed mine!	Item #28326 Calcite, Dolomite 7.2x4.5x4.0 cm Largest Crystal Size: 23mm $40.00 S. Roberts Pit, Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada A number of creamy white, very low angle rhombs of calcite sit on a bed of much smaller, reddish, probably ferroan, dolomite. The razor-sharp calcite crystals have some bits of clay attached here and there. Good looking piece!