Description

A mounded grouping of splendent black manganite crystals from Atikokan. These are sharp, lustrous crystals. In excellent condition. From the Pete Richards collection, personally collected by him in 1981. Very fine manganite crystals from these amazing old mines.

About Pete Richards (click here)

About the Mines of Atikokan, Ontario

Located in northwestern Ontario, the large mines at Atikokan were once huge iron producers. Financed and developed during the Second World War effort, these mines were brought into production to shore up US iron supplies. These were massive mines – the amount of earth and rock moved was twice that moved to build the Panama Canal, in half the time (!). The mines closed in 1979-80. Although they produced fine specimens, they are not broadly known among collectors around the world, as they would be if they were producing today. They are best known for excellent specimens of crystallized manganite.