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GeneralVery old ochre mine found in Wyoming, USA

3rd Jun 2022 15:50 UTCKelly Nash 🌟 Expert

An ochre mine dated to 13,000 years ago has apparently been discovered in Wyoming. Here is an article from Archeology magazine, which I believe is generally credible. According to the article, the mine (or quarry) may be the oldest mine of any kind in the western hemisphere.  It is called the Powars II Site, located in Platte County.  Article link: 

3rd Jun 2022 16:07 UTCKelly Nash 🌟 Expert

Here's another post from the Wyoming DEQ that gives some more specifics. Apparently this is located on or adjacent to the Sunrise Iron Mine.  I will try to confirm that and maybe add it as a sublocality of that locality.  

3rd Jun 2022 18:15 UTCRolf Luetcke Expert

Kelly,
Cool read.  Here in Southern Arizona they found evidence of the native peoples having dug into the Turquoise veins near Courtland Arizona.  I read they found evidence of stone and other tool marks digging into the veins.  I know it is not as old as the ochre one in the article but I was interesting to hear of them using Turquoise long before any modern people came into the area.
Thanks for posting this.

3rd Jun 2022 18:15 UTCLarry Maltby Expert

Very interesting Kelly,

Red ochre was used by pre-Columbian people in Michigan. There is a site near Traverse City (Samels Farm Site) where a chunk of it was found among the artifacts. I don’t think there is any red ochre in Michigan so it must have been obtained by trade.

 

3rd Jun 2022 18:49 UTCPaul Brandes 🌟 Manager

Archeology is a very credible magazine and one that we get. We have the article but haven't read it yet. I'm sure Nat will have something to add once she does (her background is geoarcheology and ancient mining techniques).

3rd Jun 2022 21:52 UTCKelly Nash 🌟 Expert

Thanks all. Apparently the site has been known since the 1980s but recently much more investigation has been carried out. It is said to be the only known ochre mine in North America. I've added it to Mindat here: Powars II Site, Sunrise mine (Platte County Iron; Chicago Mine; Chicago Pit; Central Ore Body; Hartville Area), Sunrise, Hartville Mining District, Platte County, Wyoming, USA 

3rd Jun 2022 22:11 UTCJohn Christian

There is an area of hematite close to Holy Names College in Oakland, California that has Native American hematite (ochre) mines. The hematite contains plant fossils indicating formation near the surface. The Europeans found large deposits of related pyrite  under the hematite, creating miles of tunnels. The pyrite was used for the production of sulphuric acid.


3rd Jun 2022 23:34 UTCKelly Nash 🌟 Expert

Thanks, John. That is interesting, and I went back and edited out the statement that it is the only known ocher mine in North America as well as the oldest mine in the western hemisphere (though it may be). I've grown wary of any descriptions of "the oldest", "the only", etc. 

4th Jun 2022 00:08 UTCKeith Compton 🌟 Manager

Australia is a western country and we have numerous ancient ochre mines worked by our ancient indigenous people. 

For example: Thuwarri Thaa (the place of red ochre), located in the Weld Ranges, Western Australia and is estimated at between 27,000 and 40,000 years old, is but one such site.

The people from this area are called Wajarri Yamatji.   

4th Jun 2022 13:20 UTCKelly Nash 🌟 Expert

Wow Keith, that is impressive, and the locality description by Kim McDonald for the 
Thuwarri Thaa locality is very interesting and well written! 

That said, my atlas puts Australia in the Eastern Hemisphere. 

4th Jun 2022 13:49 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

Keith, you're thinking politically, not geographically.  The Western Hemisphere is defined as either the American continents, land masses bounded by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, or the 50/50 global split, from the prime meridian at 0º, westward to 180º, neither of which includes Australia.

4th Jun 2022 23:57 UTCKeith Compton 🌟 Manager

Hi Mark

Must admit I was thinking western countries ... oops!

Mind you from down here when we look at the globe the right way up (with Aus on top) we are in the western hemisphere ((-:) Just need for the poles to reverse - probably due anytime now !
 
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