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LocalitiesSpar Mountain (Iron Mountain), Cave-In-Rock Mining Sub-District, Hardin County, Illinois, USA

9th Jan 2018 20:40 UTCJamison K. Brizendine 🌟 Expert

I noticed that the name got changed from Spar Mountain to Spar Mountain (Iron Mountain). I have quite an extensive literature library on the Cave-in-Rock District and I've never encountered "Iron Mountain" in the papers I have. Is there a citation source that can point to this name? My guess is that somebody had misinterpreted a label.

Also to add confusion, there is a Lead Hill, which is documented on Mindat: https://www.mindat.org/loc-53717.html

9th Jan 2018 20:50 UTCErin Delventhal Manager

This comes per a discussion with Jared Freiburg regarding the following specimen:

I hope he does not mind me quoting him:

"I see the specimen I donated to mindat is up for auction and you had difficulty locating the location on my label....for good reason. Iron mountain is what locals have sometimes referred to as some surface workings in Spar Mountain area. These are near Hastie Quarry and not in the quarry proper. It is confusing since there is also an Iron Hill (Tower Hill Mine). The term "Iron Mountain" probably comes from the heavy iron staining in surface workings that occur in the Bethel Sandstone, Downeys Bluff Limestone, Yankeetown, Renault Limestone, and Aux Vases Sandstone (Rosiclare member)."

This seemed to me to be a perfectly appropriate time to use an alternate name.

Edit to add: so that anyone searching for "Iron Mountain" in Illinois can actually find the Spar Mountain locality.

9th Jan 2018 20:54 UTCJamison K. Brizendine 🌟 Expert

Thanks Erin, I tend to use my documentation first and thought perhaps I overlooked something. Could you add that to the page then and add Jared as the source of the information?

9th Jan 2018 21:26 UTCErin Delventhal Manager

I can as soon as I'm back at a proper computer (editing from the phone is not too easy).

Though in re-reading it, perhaps Iron Mountain should actually be a sublocality instead?

I'll ask Jared for further input on that, but other opinions from those who are familiar with the area would be helpful.

9th Jan 2018 22:07 UTCBob Harman

As of just several years ago, the Hastie Quarry was still in operation. They had been digging into the South side of Spar Mountain and still owned the mineral rights in that part of the Harris Creek Mining District. Plenty of fluorite still in the ground there (if prices and demand climbs, mining could easily resume. Then what might happen to the hi mineral specimen prices for that stuff?) ...... But I Never heard the locality term "Iron Mountain" used until now. Besides Ross Lillie, maybe Alan Goldstein knows more?? CHEERS......BOB

9th Jan 2018 22:12 UTCErin Delventhal Manager

In response to my question: "Would you say Iron Mountain is an alternate (since it's a term used by locals) name or a distinct sublocality (since it's in reference to an area of surface workings)?"

Jared writes: "I would use it as an alternate, since yes, it is a local term. The workings are in Spar Mountain and there have been numerous workings over time. Currently, the Griffiths have workings there and are under agreement with the property owner. I've heard them refer to it as the Griffith workings or mine, however, this piece pre-dates their activities."

9th Jan 2018 23:34 UTCJared T. Freiburg

Ok, ok, chiming in here. Here's a little provenance. Years ago I bought the remaining inventory of Shorty Milligan from his wife after he had passed. This specimen was in one of the dozens of flats of which the flat was labeled Iron Mountain. I asked her and she said that it was collected from surface workings on Spar Mountain. This would likely pre-date Griffiths workings on the backside of Hasties. I inquired with a couple other locals and they confirmed Iron Mountain was likely Spar Mountain. As, I previously said in my messages with Erin, "Iron Mountain" likely stems from the highly oxidized rocks from the surface and down to the Aux Vases (Rosiclare) on Spar Mountain. Hope that helps and adds some interest. Shorty was certainly one of the many colorful figures involved in the fluorspar trade.

Cheers

10th Jan 2018 00:23 UTCKevin Conroy Manager

As an aside, Shorty kept some of his flats under his house. I'm not sure how many times I went in through the crawl space to retrieve flats to look at. He was indeed a character!

10th Jan 2018 14:09 UTCJamison K. Brizendine 🌟 Expert

Thank you Erin and Jared for the clarification. I've added Jared's information to the Spar Mountain locality page.

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