Gaskins Mine (Medeker pit), Empire Mining Sub-District, Pope County, Illinois, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Gaskins Mine (Medeker pit) | Mine |
| Empire Mining Sub-District | Subdistrict |
| Pope County | County |
| Illinois | State |
| USA | Country |
Gaskins Mine (Medeker pit), Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, USA
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
37° 31' 12'' North , 88° 25' 25'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Rosiclare | 1,082 (2017) | 12.7km |
| Elizabethtown | 287 (2017) | 13.3km |
| Golconda | 629 (2017) | 17.9km |
| Cave-in-Rock | 318 (2011) | 23.5km |
| Equality | 556 (2017) | 24.8km |
The Gaskins Mine was a shaft mine that was operated by the Minerva Oil Company in the 1960s and later by the Ozark-Mahoning Company. It was located in Township 11 S., Range 7 E., Section 34, NW 1/4 in Pope County, 10 miles northwest of Rosiclare, Illinois.
The ore in the Gaskins Mine was primarily fluorite, but also contained some galena and sphalerite as well. Unusual for the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, the mine had characteristics of both a typical vein orebody (averaging 5 feet) and a stratiform bedded replacement orebody (measurements of up to 35 feet) (Saxby, 1973, Lillie, 1998). The ore occurred from the base of the Bethel Sandstone to a feet of 250 feet. In the north vein better ore widths were encountered in the upper levels of the mine, but in the south vein the better widths occurred in the lower levels (Saxby, 1973).
Vertical displacement along the fault system ranged from 25 to 70 feet, but the displacement was horizontal. The north side moved west relative to the south side. The beds and ore zone dipped approximately 10° to the west.
According to Gill Montgomery (pers. communication to Alan Goldstein), the Gaskins mine was closed by the Ozark-Mahoning, even though substantial reserves of ore remained.
Fluorite specimens should be distinguishable from the other districts because they fluoresce blue due to a small amount of REE in them (citation needed). This is most likely due to its close approximate location close to Hick's Dome, which is located 3 miles to the west from the mine (Baxter et al., 1973).
The ore in the Gaskins Mine was primarily fluorite, but also contained some galena and sphalerite as well. Unusual for the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, the mine had characteristics of both a typical vein orebody (averaging 5 feet) and a stratiform bedded replacement orebody (measurements of up to 35 feet) (Saxby, 1973, Lillie, 1998). The ore occurred from the base of the Bethel Sandstone to a feet of 250 feet. In the north vein better ore widths were encountered in the upper levels of the mine, but in the south vein the better widths occurred in the lower levels (Saxby, 1973).
Vertical displacement along the fault system ranged from 25 to 70 feet, but the displacement was horizontal. The north side moved west relative to the south side. The beds and ore zone dipped approximately 10° to the west.
According to Gill Montgomery (pers. communication to Alan Goldstein), the Gaskins mine was closed by the Ozark-Mahoning, even though substantial reserves of ore remained.
Fluorite specimens should be distinguishable from the other districts because they fluoresce blue due to a small amount of REE in them (citation needed). This is most likely due to its close approximate location close to Hick's Dome, which is located 3 miles to the west from the mine (Baxter et al., 1973).
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Baryte Formula: BaSO4 References: |
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 References: |
| ⓘ Fluorite Formula: CaF2 References: |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Fluorite | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| C | Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Ba | Barium | |
| Ba | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Granite-Rhyolite ProvinceMagmatic Province
- Illinois BasinBasin
- Shawnee DomainDomain
USA
- Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar DistrictMining District
- Rough Creek GrabenBasin
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Gaskins Mine, Empire Mining Sub-District, Pope County, Illinois, USA