Goethite

specimen number:
2062204

location:
Jackson Mine, Negaunee, Marquette Co., Michigan, USA

description:
Stalactitic lustrous goethite across the top of matrix. Quite nice for this old locality. At one time the specimen was part of the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Tech University.

The Jackson Mine, located in Negaunee, Michigan, holds the distinction of being the first iron mine in the Lake Superior region, marking the birth of the massive Marquette Iron Range industry. Geologically, the deposit consisted of high-grade hematite and magnetite hosted within the Negaunee Iron Formation, a Precambrian sedimentary unit composed of alternating layers of iron oxides and chert (jasper). This formation was created through the chemical precipitation of iron in ancient oceans approximately two billion years ago. Historically, the deposit was first identified in 1845 with the help of Marji-Gesick, a local Ojibwa chief, who led explorers to a location where iron ore was exposed under the roots of a fallen pine tree. The Jackson Mining Company began formal operations in 1848 and continued production for several decades, eventually closing in 1924 as deeper and more efficient mines surpassed it. Today, the site is a National Historic Landmark and a public park, where the original open pits and tunnels serve as a memorial to the pioneers of American industrial mining.

The A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum, located on the campus of Michigan Technological University in Houghton, serves as the official Mineral Museum of Michigan and holds one of the finest collections of Great Lakes minerals in the world. Geologically, its primary focus is the unique mineralogy of the Lake Superior region, showcasing world-class native copper, silver, and iron specimens that define the Midcontinent Rift System and the Marquette Iron Range. The museum's collection boasts over 40,000 specimens, including many type locality minerals and an extraordinary gallery of fluorescent minerals that highlight the diverse chemical properties of the Earth's crust. Historically, the institution was established in 1902 and named after Arthur Edmund Seaman, a professor who was instrumental in building the initial teaching collection for the Michigan College of Mines. After moving through several locations on campus over the last century, the museum opened its current state-of-the-art facility in 2011. Today, it operates as a premier research and educational hub, preserving the industrial and geological heritage of the Copper Country while inspiring a global audience of mineral enthusiasts, scientists, and students.

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