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 20% or multiply by 0.8.

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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 #18237 Calcite 14.2x9.1x3.0 cm Largest Crystal Size: 24mm $50.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada A yummy plate of deep-chocolate brown rhombohedral calcite crystals on a matrix of iron carbonate and oxides. Different specimen from this long closed famous iron mine. A little bruising but displays fairly well!	Item #21338 Manganite 12.3x10.8x8.3 cm Largest Crystal Size: 10mm $160.00 Caland Ore Properties Atikokan Ontario, Canada A massive, heavy, geode-like specimen of solid coarsely crystallized manganite. The front of the specimen opens to a cavity lined with manganite crystals up to 10mm or so. Extra postage on this one! Displays perfectly!	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 #21333 Manganite, Quartz 10.5x6.4x4.0 cm Largest Crystal Size: Ma 10mm, Qu 4mm $95.00 Caland Ore Properties Atikokan Ontario, Canada A vein section of manganite and quartz with most of the interior of the vein opening lined with splendent, black manganite crystals. The manganite crystals are extremely sharp and lustrous with chisel-tipped terminations. Also a few bright quartz crystals as well. Looks great!	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 #21343 Manganite 11.9x7.1x4.8 cm Largest Crystal Size: 6mm $85.00 Caland Ore Properties Atikokan Ontario, Canada This piece has a vug in the front of it that is lined with crystals of manganite that are actually bundles of semi-parallel needle-like, terminated crystals. Very nice!
Item #21344 Manganite 9.5x6.7x3.5 cm Largest Crystal Size: 5mm $130.00 Caland Ore Properties Atikokan Ontario, Canada A vein of solid manganite cuts through this ferruginous matrix and opens at the fron into a wide vug, totally lined with lustrous, black manganite crystals. Looks great!	Item #21350 Manganite 12.6x10.0x7.0 cm Largest Crystal Size: 4mm $140.00 Caland Ore Properties Atikokan Ontario, Canada A vug at the front of this matrix of brecciated iron oxides and carbonates is fully lined with sharp-lustrous, 4-5mm manganite crystals. Excellent example of this mineral that displays well!	Item #21347 Manganite 7.1x5.5x5.1 cm Largest Crystal Size: 3mm $60.00 Caland Ore Properties Atikokan Ontario, Canada This piece has a 2-3mm crystal lined vug of manganite on the right side-front. This is a very nice example of this manganese oxide mineral.	Item #21448 Calcite 7.0x6.0x3.0 cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $40.00 Steep Rock Iron Mine Atikokan Ontario, Canada The top of this iron-carbonate rich rock is covered by a blanket of botryoidal, pure-white calcite. The botryoids are composed of curved crystals of calcite. Sits at a convenient angle for viewing and so displays well!
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 #22406 Manganite 6.4x5.5x1.6 cm Largest Crystal Size: 9mm $55.00 Caland Ore Property Atikokan Ontario, Canada A plate of pitch-black, lustrous crystals of manganite on iron ore. The Caland Mine, next door to the Steep Rock Iron Mine is famous for these manganite crystals.