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Spies-Virgil Mine, Mineral Hills, Iron River, Iron County, Michigan, USAi
Regional Level Types
Spies-Virgil MineMine
Mineral HillsVillage (Former)
Iron RiverCity
Iron CountyCounty
MichiganState
USACountry
Spies-Virgil Mine, Menominee Iron Range mining district, Michigan, USA

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PhotosMapsSearch
07230310017272251721020.jpg
Spies mine

Spies Mine, Spies-Virgil Mine, Mineral Hills, Iron River, Iron County, Michigan, USA
03099970017272251737545.jpg
main shaft for Spies mine

Spies Mine, Spies-Virgil Mine, Mineral Hills, Iron River, Iron County, Michigan, USA
07230310017272251721020.jpg
Spies mine

Spies Mine, Spies-Virgil Mine, Mineral Hills, Iron River, Iron County, Michigan, USA
03099970017272251737545.jpg
main shaft for Spies mine

Spies Mine, Spies-Virgil Mine, Mineral Hills, Iron River, Iron County, Michigan, USA
07230310017272251721020.jpg
Spies mine

Spies Mine, Spies-Virgil Mine, Mineral Hills, Iron River, Iron County, Michigan, USA
03099970017272251737545.jpg
main shaft for Spies mine

Spies Mine, Spies-Virgil Mine, Mineral Hills, Iron River, Iron County, Michigan, USA
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
46° 6' 46'' North , 88° 37' 47'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
46.11278,-88.63000
GeoHash:
G#: f00yr4td7
GRN:
N31W45
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
Dfb : Warm-summer humid continental climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Mineral Hills, Iron River219 (2017)1.3km
Iron River2,904 (2017)2.4km
Stambaugh, Iron River1,215 (2017)3.5km
Caspian868 (2017)5.4km
Gaastra332 (2017)6.3km
Mindat Locality ID:
124679
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:124679:0
GUID (UUID V4):
0


Commodities (Trace) - Iron
Development Status: Past Producer

An iron-mining operation of the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company into which the Spies and Virgil mines were consolidated in the late 1920s, with addition of workings into neighboring but separate ore bodies known as Spies-Virgil and Spies-Johnson. The consolidated operations used the Spies shaft, which was deepened to 1200 feet, with three levels added to work the new ore bodies. 4.1 million tons of ore where shipped by closure of the operation in 1955.

The original Spies mine was worked 1916 through 1927, featured one 400-ft shaft and three levels, and shipped a half-million tons of ore before consolidation. The Virgil mine operated from 1912 through 1918, shipping 134,482 tons of ore from its 281-foot shaft and two levels.

Property descriptions:
Virgil Mine, SW-NW Sec. 24 T43N-R35W
Spies Mine, E1/2-NW Sec. 24 T43N-R35W
Spies-Virgil Orebody, SW-NE Sec. 24 T43N-R35W
Spies-Johnson Orebody, NE-SE Sec. 24 T34N-R35W

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.


Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

5 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
ⓘ Goethite
Formula: Fe3+O(OH)
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
ⓘ 'Mica Group'
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Siderite
Formula: FeCO3
ⓘ Stilpnomelane
Formula: (K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘGoethite4.00.Fe3+O(OH)
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘSiderite5.AB.05FeCO3
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘStilpnomelane9.EG.40(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
Unclassified
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Mica Group'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Hⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
CCarbon
Cⓘ SideriteFeCO3
OOxygen
Oⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ SideriteFeCO3
Oⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
NaSodium
Naⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
AlAluminium
Alⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
SiSilicon
Siⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
SSulfur
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
KPotassium
Kⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
CaCalcium
Caⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
FeIron
Feⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
Feⓘ SideriteFeCO3
Feⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O

Localities in this Region

USA

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
USA

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Lake Superior Iron Ore Association (1952) Lake Superior Iron Ores: Mining Directory and Statistical Record of the Lake Superior Iron Ore District of the United States and Canada. Cleveland, Ohio. 334 pages.
James, H.L., Dutton, C.E., Wier, K.L. (1967) Geologic and Magnetic Data for Northern Iron River Area, Michigan. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Geological Survey Division. Report of Investigation 4. 46 pages.
Bernhardt D.E. (2001) Men, Mines, and Memories: Iron Mining in Iron County, Michigan. Iron County Historical Museum, Caspian, Michigan.
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