Todays search for ore.

[Mark Green]

Hi Gang,

 

Well, I was attending the wedding of my squire yesterday. The wonderful event happened on a property that sits right between two well known mines of wonderful quality ore, from back in the 17-1800's.

So, I stayed over and went exploring for those mines today.

1. Don't try to go exploring for ore, in 90 deg. heat with only half a bottle of water, with very unknown miles to go. It was a huge 6 hr trudge, through very thick, up and down, East Carolina boonies.

 

Other then all that, it was very fun. I saw 5 snakes, of 6+ ft, only one poisonus. 5 deer, 5 turtles, two flocks of wild Turkey, 100,000,000 spiders, and way too many ticks.

 

I parked at the wedding site, and went south along the river, (sort of) towards the old 'James Battle' mine. After 3 hrs of rugged exploring, I was about to give up, when a very big white tail deer jumped up from some tall swamp grass, and took off down the trail towards the river. I figured this had to be a sign, so, I followed. Low-and-behold, I walked up on a big mound by the river side, with a lot of dark shiny rocks poking out of the soil. I had seen nothing but quartz until now. It was a mountain of ore, where they had likely been loading it onto barges to move up river to the Buckhorn mine site where there was a finery.

The ore was slightly magnetic, and look very much like the ore that I brought home from the F&B this spring. So, I have found the mother load once again. (hey Lee, I'm getting as good as your dog).

Now I need to contact the land owners that have two big gates blocking the 4 miles of dirt road that I followed out of there, to see if they will let me bring a truck load out. All they do is hunt on it!!!

 

I went back to the camp that the weding was at, and they showed me a small mine that was on their land. This ore looked very much the same, So, I loaded up a few hundred lbs to try out.

Very fun, tough, day. the hike out, with no water for 3 hrs was rough. Mostly uphill. If anyone had ever told me this part of Eastern NC ws so hilly, I would have not believed it.

Here are a few pics of the ore.

[dennis mcadams]

These high adventures are the stuff of wonderful memories Mark and I'm so glad we have you to embark on them for us!! I smell a big ore roast in the near future. Keep digging and stay hydrated.

Denis

[ZebDeming]

Nice haul! Thanks for sharing

[Dan O'Connor]

Mark,

 

That is some nice looking ore. So, is this some of the Titanium Magnetite?

[Mark Green]

No, the ore from these mines had only trace T, that was why I have been wanting to find them so bad.

I have some contacts now, I'm hoping to get full access to the site, and pull out a ton or so, sometime soon.

 

The old tests on this ore showed low P, and T, and was said to be of the best Bessemer quality ore in NC.

Better then anything else in this area, Most likely limonite. Ranging from 45-65% Fe, as they called it in the day.

 

It does look exactly like the ore I brought home from the F&B this spring, that I will be smelting this coming weekend.

It does not break up very easy. I wonder if it is as explosive, when roasting.

We shall see????

 

Mark

Edited June 12, 2012 by Mark Green

[Randy S]

Mark, you have to be one of the luckiest (or maybe persistent?) people I know when it comes to finding good ore.

 

Something I do to reduce the shrapnel from roasting ore is to get a few empty 5 gallon oil cans ( the kind with pull up tabs to remove the lids) and fill them about half full with ore. Remove the gasket from the lid and cut out the pull up plastic spout then put the lid back on the can.... build fire, add buckets and relax. They will burn out after a few roasts but are free and it beats dodging hot rocks.

 

Thanks for sharing your trip... and congrats to the couple!

 

 

Randy

[Alan Longmire]

Has anyone ever used the word "indefatigable" to describe you, Mark? If not, consider it done.

[Lee Sauder]

Howdy Mark-

 

So is this indeed magnetite? I'm a little confused -in the pics it looks kinda brown, and you say it was like the popping ore from the Fire and Brimstone, which I thought was a brown ore/limonite. So hard to tell from pictures. ...

 

It was a lucky weekend for ore hounds, I guess- Splendid Wife,Ore Dog and I found two nice surface cuts with the ore still piled in front of it. I could conceivably get within 30 yards of them with my truck, if I'm able to get permission!

 

 

They're both pretty helpful, but the one on the right is much more obedient.

 

 

Ore up close

 

 

The pile with the old mine cut in the background.

[Jesus Hernandez]

They're both pretty helpful, but the one on the right is much more obedient.

 

That's gonna get you in trouble when Elizabeth reads this.

[Mark Green]

Well Lee, That is a great find!!!! All that work those poor slaves did for you

 

I'm not sure to be honest. The ore I brought out of the small mine is very muli-colored. It looks just like the ore I brought home from the F&B. Did you find out from kerry what that was for sure? Jesus, and I, will be smelting some of that this Saturday. You are welcome to come play anytime.

Most of the ore from the huge pile was very dark gray to black. Plus was a bit magnetic.????

In the old "Iron ores of NC" book, these mine were said to be Specular hemitite, or magnetic ores???? So, this is likely more Limonite ore. It had very good analysis in the day. It will be interesting to see how it cooks up.

 

Congrats on your find. I have a few contacts to get through, to open the few gates to get my truck within 2 miles of the big pile. I have some people working on it. If I can get through the gates, I can load the truck direct from the pile. That wold be nice for a change.

 

Thanks, I guess, Alan Yes, it is very likely that many of my friends call me something like that. Some say I'm a cylon.

Mark

Edited June 12, 2012 by Mark Green