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Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA

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A chromium mine in chromite ore/Serpentine. Located near Texas, PA, aprox, 6 mi NE of Rising Sun, MD, USA. Note: Texas is rarely designated on most regional maps.

Refs.:
- Dana, E.S. (1892) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York: 1069.
- Gordon, Samuel G. (1922), Mineralogy of Pennsylvania: 88.
- Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 246.
- Lapham & Geyer (1965) Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania.
- Reed, Juliet C. (1976), Annotated Biblio. of Minerals New to the PA List 1965-1974, The Mineralogical Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.: 40.
- Mineralogical Record: 27: 301.





Map Reference: 39°43'54"N , 76°6'24"W

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Mineral List:
  		•  Antigorite
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		]
    Habit: thin lamellar, laminae easily separable into translucent folia
    Colour: leek green to violet in "chromium" variety
    Description: Antigorite occurs both with typical leek green coloration and the violet coloration of so named "Chromium" Antigorite. Specimens of Chromium Antigorite were often reffered to as Kammererite, or Chromium Clinoclore, but this is inaccurate. (see www.pennminerals.com/museum.htm for a good image of an actual, and very rare, Kammererite from Woods Chrome). Specimens of Chromium Antigorite from this occurance even fall somewhat short of a true Antigorite identity, but is closest to this family member of the Sepentine group.
    Reference: [Mineralogy of Pennsylvania - 1922; Samuel S. Gordon Pg.124]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © M.Heintzelman
  		•  Antigorite
    var: Picrolite
    Reference: [Mineralogy of Pennsylvania-1922; Samuel S. Gordon, pg. 122]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © M.Heintzelman
  		•  Aragonite
    CaCO
     
    3
    Reference: [Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 190; Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © 2007, JGW
  		•  Brucite
    Mg(OH)
     
    2
    Habit: tabular plates with pseudo-hexagonal edging. usually foliaed masses
    Colour: white to pale green, pearly to waxy luster, transparent in thin sections/plates
    Fluorescence: bright blue-white response
    Description: Worlds finest locality for the Brucite, hosting the largest crystal ever found (to 0.2m). Crystals from here are rich and well developed, in numerous modifications including large tabular crystals and occasional groups in rosettes. coloration from this locale tends towards pale green coloration in the richest specimens.
    Reference: [Ref1) Dana 6: 1069. Ref2) Mineralogy; J. Sinkankas, 1964 pg. 339 Ref3) Preliminary Report on The Mineralogy of Pennsylvania 1874; F. A. Genth; pg. 51]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © Rob Lavinsky
  		•  Cacoxenite
    Fe
    3+
    24
    		Al[(OH)
     
    12
    		|O
     
    6
    		|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    17
    		] · 17H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
  		•  Calcite
    CaCO
     
    3
    Reference: [ Dana 6:1069.]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © 2007, JGW
  		•  'Chalcedony'
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
  		•  Chromite
    FeCr
     
    2
    		O
     
    4
    Habit: massive, fine grained. frequent admixture with Serpentine
    Colour: Blackish grey
    Fluorescence: none
    Description: Chromite, the Major ore at Wood's Mine. By 1874 report, Chromite production in PA was already waining, however the production to date at Wood's Mine of 120,000 tons, exceeded 20 times the production of all other PA chomite mining localities combined.
    Reference: [Dana 6: 1069. ref2) 2nd Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, Preliminary report 1874; F. A. Genth, Pgs. 39-43]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © M.Heintzelman
  		•  Chrysotile
    Mg
     
    3
    		Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		(OH)
     
    4
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
  		•  Clinochlore
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    5
    		Al[(OH)
     
    8
    		|AlSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		]
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
  		•  Clinochlore
    var: Chromian Clinochlore
    Mg
     
    5
    		(Al,Cr)
     
    2
    		Si
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		(OH)
     
    8
    Reference: [The Mineralogy of Pennsylvania - 1922; Samual G. Gondon]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © M.Heintzelman
  		•  'Deweylite'
    Mg
     
    4
    		Si
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		·6H
     
    2
    		O ?
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © 2007, JGW
  		•  Dolomite
    CaMg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania; Dana 6:1069.]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © 2008, JGW
  		•  Dozyite
    Mg
     
    7
    		Al
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    12
    		|Al
     
    2
    		Si
     
    4
    		O
     
    15
    		]
    Reference: [MinRec 27:301]
  		•  Enstatite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[SiO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    Reference: [ Dana 6:1069.]
  		•  Forsterite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[SiO
     
    4
    		]
    Reference: [Ref.: Reed, Juliet C. (1976), Annotated Biblio. of Minerals New to the PA List 1965-1974, The Min. Soc. of PA, Inc.: 40; Gordon, Samuel G. (1922), Mineralogy of PA: 88.]
  		•  Hematite
    Fe
     
    2
    		O
     
    3
    Reference: [ Dana 6:1069.]
  		•  Hydromagnesite
    Mg
     
    5
    		[(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    4
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		] · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 273; Mineralogy of Pennsylvania, S. Gordon pg. 69 (ref. Smith and Brush, 1853, 214) ]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © Brhounds
  		•  Ilmenite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		TiO
     
    3
    Reference: [ Dana 6:1069.]
  		•  Lizardite
    Mg
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		]
    Reference: [The Mineralogy of Pennsylvania 1922-1965; A. Montgomery pg. 55 (MSP Newsletter, June, 1963, pg. 8. PM8)]
  		•  Magnesiochromite
    MgCr
     
    2
    		O
     
    4
    Reference: [No reference listed]
  		•  Magnesite
    MgCO
     
    3
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania; Dana 6:1069.]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © 2007, JGW
  		•  Magnetite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Fe
    3+
    2
    		O
     
    4
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
  		•  'Marmolite'
    Reference: [ Dana 6:1069.]
  		•  Millerite
    NiS
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania; Dana 6:1069.]
  		•  Pimelite
    Ni
     
    3
    		Si
     
    4
    		O
     
    10
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		ยท4H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Gaines et al. 1997, Dana\'s System of Mineralogy]
  		•  Pyrite
    FeS
     
    2
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
  		•  Pyroaurite
    Mg
     
    6
    		Fe
    3+
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    16
    		|CO
     
    3
    		] · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © 2007, JGW
  		•  'Serpentine Group'
    D
     
    2
    		[Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		](OH)4 + or - nH
     
    2
    		O
    Habit: crystaline Massive
    Colour: brilliant green
    Fluorescence: none
    Description: Type locality for variety "Williamsite", a gemmy bright green serpentine often used as a semi-precious stone. Often associated with Chromite at this locality. discovered in 1849 by Lewis W. Williams, whom also first described Zaratite (Emerald Nickel) at Wood's Chrome Mine the same year.
    Reference: [ Dana 6:1069. Ref2) American Republican, Jan. 2nd 1849 (Chester Co., Newspaper)]
  		•  Uvarovite
    Ca
     
    3
    		Cr
     
    2
    		[SiO
     
    4
    		]
     
    3
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania; Dana 6:1069.]
  		•  Vesuvianite
    Ca
     
    10
    		(Mg,Fe)
     
    2
    		Al
     
    4
    		Si
     
    9
    		O
     
    34
    		(OH)
     
    4
    Reference: [Lapham & Geyer, 1965. Mineral Collecting in Pennsylvania]
  		•  Zaratite
    Ni
     
    3
    		(CO
     
    3
    		)(OH)
     
    4
    		·4H
     
    2
    		O
    Habit: crystaline massive veins and coatings typical, admixture with Dolomite
    Colour: Brilliant Green
    Fluorescence: none
    Description: Lewis W. Williams first described Zaratite, as "Emerald Nickel" at Wood's Chrome Mine in 1849, nearly making Wood's Chome Mine "Type Locale" for the species. (TL: Spain 1851) Frequently occuring in admixture with micro crystals of dolomite, referred to localy as "pennite".
    Reference: [American Republican, Jan. 2nd 1849 (Chester Co., Newspaper); 2nd geological Survey of Pennsylvania Preliminary Report 1874, F. A. Genth, Pg 156B; Dana, E.S. (1892) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York: 1069; Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 246.]
    Site Photo
    Wood's Chrome Mine (Wood's Mine), Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, USA
    © 2008, J. Weissman


    32 entries listed. 24 valid minerals.

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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Jobs in Pennsylvania, USA Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 24th Nov 2009 16:17:25