Dave at Steep Rock Iron Mine

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.