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Cranberry
Iron Mine
Cranberry, NC
The 4000 foot tunnel
of this
mine has produced magnetite with a gangue consisting of uralite,
epidote,
and garnet. Pink feldspar and optical calcite have also been
produced
from this mine. Part of the old mine dumps were used as ballast
in
the construction of a now abandoned railroad to carry ore from the
mine.
The epidote materal from this mine takes a good polish and makes great
cabochons.
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Richard looking in the dumps.
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The upper mine entrance.
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Here you can see the cold mine air
hitting
the much
warmer outside air causing a lot of
steam.
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"Where's that steam coming from?"
(click on picture for a
panarama
view)
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Lower mine entrance.
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Down in the lower mine area....
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Inside the upper mine.
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The iron ore vein is between the white
lines.
Notice the magnet key holder is sticking
to
this vertical wall!
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Classic rock truck!
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Wild Iris growing in a nearby stream.
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