Salisbury Mine (Brookpit; Old Hill Mine; Ore Hill Mine), Salisbury Mining District, Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Connecticut, USAi

Regional Level Types
Salisbury Mine (Brookpit; Old Hill Mine; Ore Hill Mine)	Mine
Salisbury Mining District	Mining District (Abandoned)
Salisbury	- not defined -
Litchfield Co.	County
Connecticut	State
USA	Country

The largest and most important mine in the Salisbury District. While specimens of goethite are often just labeled "Salisbury" and could be from any of the district's mines, they are most likely from the Salisbury mine because it operated into the early 20th century, and the dumps were accessible for decades afterward. Pumpelly (1886) mentions beautiful specimens. According to Hiller (1967), in the 1960s the area was owned by Calvin Flint, who would show collectors the best areas, which were on the west side of the now flooded pit (Ore Hill Pond). The pond is now surrounded by residential development.

Goethite iron ore was discovered on Old Hill (later Ore Hill) in 1732 (Pumpelly (1886) says 1731), production was sporadic until 1884, then worked heavily until 1904, with 200 miners pulling out 5,000 tons per year. It was the last goethite mine to close in 1923. This mine became the most important of the several goethite mines in the state, which exploited a metamorphosed lateritic soil horizon that formed on an unconformity between the Cambro-Ordovician Stockbridge Marble and the overlying Ordovician Walloomsac Schist. The ore was typically referred to in contemporary literature as "brown hematite", "brown oxide of iron" or "limonite", none of which is strictly correct. In this area the ore body is 65 feet thick and 0.75 miles long and dips 45 north. Mostly mined as an open pit, but there were inclined shafts down to 800 feet with extensive underground workings.

Pumpelly (1886) reports that although much of the property by then was excavated, only the "New Pit" was active then, worked by the Brookpit Mining Company. 14,405 tons were raised in the census year but there were no underground workings then. He noted that "many beautiful specimens of crystallized limonite ore have been found..." A sample of stalactitic ore was described, a transverse section showing radial goethite fibers within and a highly polished exterior. The stalactites were found in "geodes or bombs and usually hand vertically".

Hobbs (1907) gives this description:

References

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