Collecting Magnetite Octahedrons at the Bessemer Mine Bancroft Ontario

A short video about collecting magnetite octahedrons at the Bessemer Mine in Bancroft Ontario

[@donnakeizer1468]

My father worked a Faraday, then Madawaska Mine in Bancroft, for many years of his life, we lived on Faraday Heights a d madawaska Mine site, wonderful rocks, berries, mountains, rivers etc. Great country,,,,,, Gods country, love the CROSS on Eagles NEST, keeping watch over Bancroft, ♥️♥️

[@Railrodder]

Interesting video! My boss is from Bancroft and his grandmother was from Bessemer. He recently peaked my interest in this long gone town. Her mom would keep plates of food ready and men would sometimes come to the door for food. They always wore long black coats. Her father eventually told her to stop as they began to expect the handouts.

[@jonhamilton5789]

My cottage is on the corner of Bessemer line and Bradshaw Rd., I’ve spent a lot of time at the hotel foundation, Foster Lake and Little Mullet Lake.

[@MysticalLibra]

Fascinating history, beautiful finds, thanks for sharing!

[@ontariorocksrelics]

That a cool place, nice scenery too.

[@Caver461]

+OntarioRocks&Relics Yes - I've been looking for the rail cutting that I read about, its right near the mine and used to plug solid with snow. Never found it.

[@hxppythxughtz9252]

I can't find were this is and I really wanna go up and explore the area

[@bloeski]

great history and a nice pile of rocks....Thanks for the video. I will have to put this on my list of places that I want to go to.

[@davidmicheletti6292]

We live o a wonderful lake in northern Minnesota and this lake has a natural ore mine very near the shores of the lake. My earliest memories as a child were to go down into this open pit iron mine with my uncle. We would gather ore samples and collect cold spring water erupting from the mine floor and walls to drink.. We now live within walking distance and often walk down to the now flooded pit to swim in the clear deep pit lake. It is about two hundred a fifty feet deep. Ironically very little of the ore was removed fro the mine as it was next to imposable to pump the water out. My father in law once told me he took care of the floating pumps and they used over 28000 dollars worth of electricity a month to keep the pit dry. Far too costly for such a operation. I really love your history of the mines in your area.

[@chadirvine9700]

Ive gone up every summer to foster lake my entire life. Never knew this existed. Thanks!

[@J_Isak]

This stuff is really cool. Thank you for sharing these videos.

[@Caver461]

+JoiIsakYT NP - if you get value from it its worth it.

[@Caver461]

***** Thanks - glad to spread the word for those who are interested

[@loulouvegas3350]

Keep up the good work I love exploring with you as I am not able to do it. I love searching with your eyes. lol

[@Caver461]

+Linda Gibbs I'll do my best - thanks for watching

[@Michaelgrosbeck]

Great history lesson! Thank you.

[@Caver461]

+Michael Grosbeck there is still a lot of the ruins and artifacts that lie in the forest undiscovered.

[@deborahhope9094]

My grandmother was born in Bessemer. She was a Foster.

[@rawdawgpendants5490]

I found some huge magnetite crystals in montana.

[@tammydillabough5686]

The hotel was never built the project was abandoned when the mine went bust.

[@Caver461]

+tammy Dillabough Thank you. Are you interested in the local mining history?

[@tammydillabough5686]

My husband grew up here and he posted the comment

[@Caver461]

tammy Dillabough Seriously. amazing. You mean he actually grew up in what was the town of Bessamer?

[@tammydillabough5686]

Um no. He grew up in Bancroft and loves history. Especially local history

[@Caver461]

tammy Dillabough Ah. I hope to retire there.

[@electricmanakin]

Great video, thanks for uploading and sharing! We've been hoping to run into you at some random location but no luck as of yet, maybe next year haha. Question... Do you need a permit or owner permission to collect at the Bessemer Mine? You usually mention this in your videos but not this one so I'm hopeful it's open to the public? Thanks again, and look forward to many more!

[@Caver461]

+electricmanakin No permit that I'm aware of. I often run into viewers at sites - always happy to meet fellow rockhounds. I will be doing some Bear Lake stuff again in the spring. It's a great spot.

[@electricmanakin]

+Caver461 Fantastic thanks for letting me know. I'll be sure to put this at the top of the list for next spring! I tried tracking you down on facebook to send a message but I couldn't find you. I have a favour to ask and I'm absolutely stumpted. We were collecting in the Haliburton area and I found a nice little pocket and found something that sort of appears Calacite but it's pretty strange. I haven't seen any pictures anywhere that look like what I found. Could you have a look and see if you have any idea what we have? I hate to ask but it's driving me crazy not knowing. Here is the link to the gallery - imgur.com/a/KIjro The white blobly looking mineral is really neat but I have no clue what it is. Also the little crystals have me stumped as well. Any idea? Thanks :)

[@Caver461]

electricmanakin Looks like gypsum to me, oddly its common down in southern Ontario in sedimentary rock, but not my experience finding it up north. if its filling spaces within the rock it adds to my thoughts that it's probably gypsum. often find gypsum with selenite. There are several Paleozoic outliers up there e.g. up near Eganville. I suspect the rock toward the bottom of that post was found elsewhere. I see some of that rock has a rough quartz material and possibly zircon (black), but I'd not be sure without a closer look at the individual crystals.

[@electricmanakin]

+Caver461 Thanks for getting back and letting me know! What's interesting is none of those minerals are supposed to be in this spot, it's mostly Fluorite and Calcite. I have some amazing samples of deep purple to black Fluorite mixed with calcite that came fro mhere as well. I have a few chunks that go from purple to green to transparent, and not banding. I'll have some photos soon, just in the cleaning process now. About the images in that link I gave you, they are all the same sample. From that pocket I have many other rocks mostly without (gypsum) and what I thought were dark green or red Apatite. Looking at google images you may be right in thinking it's possibly Zircon. That last two photos almost look like petrafied wood, but I highly doubt it. Are you on facebook? I looked for caver461 there but couldn't find you. Would like to add you if interested. Thanks again, really appreciate the wisdom!

[@MatthewGorveatte]

it was this vid that made me think of that

[@StaceFromSpace1234]

Do u have a facebook?

[@Caver461]

+Stacey Wrezinski yes - Michael Gordon - Guelph