Quartz with Hematite

specimen number:
2062246

location:
Jasper Knob, Ishpeming, Marquette Co., Michigan, USA

description:
Classic banded red quartz, the type many call Jasper, throughout a hematite matrix. Collected in 1958.

Jasper Knob, situated in Ishpeming within the Marquette Iron Range of Michigan, is often described as the most beautiful geological exposure in the state. Geologically, this landmark is composed of the Jaspilite Member of the Negaunee Iron Formation, featuring spectacular, tightly folded bands of brilliant red jasper and metallic silver hematite. These Proterozoic sedimentary layers were deposited nearly two billion years ago and subsequently deformed during the Penokean Orogeny, creating the dramatic swirls visible on the glaciated surface. Historically, while Jasper Knob itself was never a primary underground mining shaft due to its extreme hardness and high silica content, it was an essential exploration point for the surrounding iron companies. From the 1850s through the early 20th century, the site served as a vital outcrop for geologists to study the structure of the iron-bearing strata that supported the nearby Cleveland and Cliff Shaft mines. Today, the knob is a protected geological site and a public park, preserved specifically for its scientific and aesthetic value rather than for commercial quarrying, offering a clear window into the Precambrian history of the Lake Superior region.

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