TRI-STATE DISTRICT MINERALS

by Mark Sherwood

The majority of the mineral specimens collected in this area are usually labeled merely as "Joplin" or "Joplin District", without distinguishing the specific mine. Specimens are often labeled simply "Tri-State District" and may be from outside Missouri, since the the mineralized area extends to Galena, Treece, and Baxter Springs, Kansas and Picher, Oklahoma. More precise guesses at the origin of otherwise unlabeled Tri-District specimens should not be attempted.

The following is a general survey of the minerals, their relative abundance, and a concise summary of their properties. It is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all occurrences of the minerals within the district.

PRIMARY MINERALS

Galena: PbS (Lead) Very Common. The most common ore oflead in the Tri-State. Silver gray to gray crystals displaying the cube, octahedron, or a combination. Perfect cubic cleavage. Bright metallic silver color on fresh fractures or cleavages. Contains about 1 3/4 ounce of silver per ton. Crystals occur in very large sizes, up to at least 24 inches. Usually cubic, less commonly octahedral or cuba-octahedral. Crystals often display complex parallel twining or hopper forms. Spinel twinning is rarely seen.

Sphalerite. ZnS. Very Common. (Black Jack, Rosin Jack, Ruby Jack). The principle ore of ~""'· zinc and found nearly everywhere in the District. Easily found in several varieties:

Ruby Jack: Bright yellow to orange to red tetrahedrons, commonly with curved edges and faces.

Rosin Jack: Brown crystals and crystalline masses Black Jack: Larger, black, opaque crystals, with submetallic luster, up to several inches in

size. Black sphalerite generally has a higher iron content than lighter-colored varieties.

Sphalerite is most often is found as distorted isometric tetrahedra. Tetrahedral faces are small, minutely pitted and rough~ other faces are lustrous and are commonly united to produce sub­conical forms. Spinel law twinning is common and often repeated twinning is present. Sphalerite crystals range in color from nearly colorless to yellow or orange in very small crystals. Red, semitransparent crystals (miner's name- ruby jack) may be up to about Y2 inch in size. Larger crystals may be brown (rosin jack) or black (blackjack). The larger black crystals contain more iron than the other varieties and may display more complex faces . The luster of crystals or crystalline material is resinous in rosin jack or ruby jack to vitreous or submetallic in black jack. Tri-State District sphalerite often have some cadmium, gallium, and germanium present. A bright yellow coating of greenockite may be present on some sphalerite crystals. Sphalerite crystals may have an iridescent coating of covellite, or bornite or epitaxially oriented chalcopyrite crystals.

Calcite, CaC03, "Tiff" (Note that "tiff' is the miner' s name for barite in most other areas) Common: Common in large, well-formed crystals in a multitude of forms. Particularly noteworthy examples include~

Scalenohedral "dogtooth" colorless to white to yellow crystals to 2 feet long. Violet to lilac to pink rhombohedral twinned crystals to 1 to 2 feet.

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"Stairstep" white to gray rhombohedral multiple twins with included chalcopyrite. Prismatic crystals with rhombohedral terminations that are colorless to white to yellow

and up to one foot long. Numerous other forms are known.

Marcasite, FeS2, "Mundie" (in part). Common as splendid "cockscomb" sprays of crystals with individual crystals to 1h inch. As stalactitic aggregates. Specimens require careful curation to prevent decomposition which fonns melanterite, copiapite, perhaps other iron sulfates, and sulfuric acid. Care is needed to prevent damage to the cabinet and other specimens stored with marcasite.

Pyrite, FeS2. "Mundie" (in part), Common. Frequently as the cubic form, which is often curved or otherwise distorted. The pyritohedron and octahedron faces are also common. Less common than marcasite. Alters to goethite (limonite), melanterite, copiapite, other iron sulfates, and sulfuric acid.

Chalcopyrite, CuFeS2> Common. Found as simple, lustrous, golden tetrahedrons on surfaces covered with curved light pink dolomite crystals. Frequently an inclusion in calcite crystals. Often found in epitaxially oriented growths on the surface of sphalerite crystals, with faces of the chalcopyrite crystals on parallel planes so that reflections from the surface of each chalcopyrite face is seen simultaneously. Crystal surfaces are often tarnished reddish purple.

Quartz: Si02. Very Common. Ubiquitous as a component of the "jasperoid"or brecciated chert matrix. Quartz is commonly seen as very small, sparkling crystals on chert fracture surfaces. Later deposited distinct crystals are less common and usually not over one inch in size. Quartz crystals occur in drusy coatings particularly at the Ballard Mine, Baxter Springs, Kansas. Usually found as early, very small crystals on the surfaces ofvughs and fractures.

Wurtzite, ZnS. Rare from the Zig Zag Mine, Combination Mine and possibly other mines of the Joplin area, as hexagonal pyramidal, hemimorphic crystals up to 2mm diameter. The crystals were implanted on their points on botryoidal sphalerite. Found as concentrically banded stalactites from 1/64 to 1 inch diameter at the Zig Zag Mine in north Joplin.

Barite, BaS04, Uncommon. As rosettes and cockscomb aggregates of small, white crested crystals; as light blue, blocky frosted crystals, as discrete, thin, white, rectangular crystals. Most crystals have a pale blue-green tint.

CoveUite, CuS, Very Rare as thin, blue-black coatings on sphalerite, known by miners as "Schoolhouse Blue". It occurs in the Joplin District near the site of a schoolhouse and also in Galena, Kansas in the Big Coon Mine on West Seventh Street. It is often altered to malachite.

Aragonite CaC03 Uncommon. Masses of white to gray needle-like crystals in the main Tri­State district and Granby.

Bornite, CusFeS4, Very Rare. Thin coatings on galena, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite

Millerite: NiS. Very Rare.

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Allopbaoe, A12Si05.H20 . Rare. Found at the Big Coon Mine near Galena, Kansas as a thin incrustation with a botryoidal surface, associated with chert. Amorphous. Colorless to light brown or green, subtranslucent. Also found as light greenish blue material from the Irene Mine, Empire, Kansas.

Enargite, Cu3AsS4, Rare, as silver-gray to dark-grey metallic bladed or rarely prismatic crystals, usually single, but occasionally in clusters of a few individuals. Almost invariably found in the presence of chalcopyrite. Crystals usually do not exceed 3x2xl mm.

Luzonite, C~CuAsS4. Rare. As crystals, less than 2mm across, associated with chalcopyrite on dolomite. Crystals are composed of a crystal "spine" with a second, shorter spine at the midpoint and at right angles to the main spine, and a curved "web" stretching between the two spines. The overall shape, viewed from the side is like a tiny single-masted sailing ship with a sail fore and aft of the "mast." Many specimens have third spike at right angles to the first two. They are grey or bronze in color often with a pinkish cast and with metallic luster. These are frequently perched on chalcopyrite crystals that have a corroded appearance. Presence of enargite seems to be required and specimens with complex assemblages such as enargite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and marcasite together on the same specimen all seem more favorable for presence of luzonite. Luzonite is more common in the Kansas and Oklahoma subdistricts.

Asphalt "Tar" Common. Although it is not a mineral species, it should be mentioned due to its wide distribution in the District. Asphalt is common in deposits, coating mineral crystals or partially filling vughs. It may appear as brown films coating crystals. Originally trapped on top of ground water, this light tar coated the contents of many cavities as the water table was lowered through mining operations. It is found impregnating many porous rocks locally.

SECONDARY MINERALS

Auricbalcite, (Zn, Cu 2+)5( C03) 2( OH)6, Rare. Radial aggregates of monoclinic crystals with free ends. From the Big Coon Mine, Galena, Kansas, associated with cerussite, linarite, caledonite, malachite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, chrysocolla, cuprite, and covellite. From Granby as bluish-green globular aggregates. From the Shinn Mine, Stark City, Newton County with hemimorphite, sphalerite, covellite, malachite, and dolomite.

Azurite, Cu3+2(C03) 2(0H)2, Very Rare. Small, intense blue crystals resembling linarite, which is

more common.

Aluminite: A12(S04)(0H)4.7H20. Very Rare. Reported from Joplin as a coating on limestone.

Anglesite, PbS04• Common. Jasper and Newton Counties as an alteration of galena on dumps and oxidized zones of deposits. Usually found coating, as surface replacements, or as pseudomorphs of galena with galena cores. Crystals of anglesite were found at the Bonanza ground, northeast of Galena and at the Mitchell shaft on the Schermerhorn ground, west of Galena, Kansas.

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Caledonite, Pb5Cu2(C03)(S04) 3(0H)6• Very Rare. Small quantities occur as a green, crystalline coating associated with linarite, aurichalcite, and cerussite at the Big Coon Mine, Galena, Kansas.

Cerussite, PbC03 "Dry Bone Ore", Locally Common: Small clear and smoky gray crystals in pockets on stalactitic sphalerite, containing some galena. Twins are common. Also as branching stalactites, white, fibrous masses and earthy. Usually white, but also yellow, ,green, brown, or black. Forms pseudomorphs after galena.

Chalcanthite, CuS04.5H20 . Rare. Found at the Irene Min at Empire City as small, blue columnar crystals associated with sphalerite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. Chalcanthite is a water soluble, probably transient mineral derived from decomposition of copper minerals

ChrysocoUa, (Cu,Al)2H2Si20 5(0H)4.nH20 . Rare. Thins bluish-green seams associated with other copper minerals at the Big Coon Mine, Galena, Kansas.

Copiapite, Fe2~e3+4(S04)6(0H)2.20H20. Rare. Bright yellow, orange, flesh or gray, stalactitic or botryoidal crusts. An alteration product of pyrite, marcasite, and chalcopyrite. It is often mistaken for sulfur. Copiapite has been found at Galena, and Cave Springs, especially at the Pilgrim Mine.

Cuprite, CuO. Rare, but perhaps more common than generally recognized. At the Big Coon Mine at Galena, Kansas, as a central core of dark red cuprite surrounded by massive malachite.

Diadochite, Fe3\ (P04)(S04)(0H).6H20 Very Rare. Found at the Central Mine in the Picher Field as a pale pinkish-gray efllorecence.

Dolomite, CaMgC03, "Spar'' Common as fine white to light pink, curved rhombohedral crystals covering fracture surfaces and forming attractive bases for many later forming minerals. Pearly luster. Also found as gray, granular crystalline material. Pseudomorphs of smithsonite and hemimorphite are found, especially at Granby. Often associated with chalcopyrite crystals.

Epsomite, MgS04.7H20 . Epsomite forms a series with goslarite, with complete range of composition between the two. Like goslarite, epsomite occurs as a transient mine wall efllorescence where acidic solutions formed by decomposition of iron sulfides has contacted dolomite.

Fluorapatite: Cas(P04) 3F. Common. Minute colorless hexagonal prisms found in thin section of jasperoid material.

Goethite, FeO(OH). Common. This earthy reddish-brown iron oxide is an alteration product of iron sulfides including marcasite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. It may be found as pseudomorphs after these minerals.

Goslarite, ZnS04.7H20 "Acid" Uncommon. Usually a white powder on the surface of old workings especially where unmined sphalerite was present. Formed by decomposition of sphalerite or by action of acidic water on other zinc minerals, such as smithsonite. It occurs as

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white, fibrous masses and capillary crystals and botryoidal and stalactitic incrustations. Goslarite usually loses water and crumbles to a fine white powder. Since goslarite is water soluble, its existence is transient.

Greenockite, CdS, Common as yellow, microscopic coatings, usually on sphalerite and occasionally coating other surfaces. May be included in crystals of smithsonite or hemimorphite causing a bright yellow or olive green color.

Gypsum, CaS04.2H20, Common as a transparent, colorless crystals and "fuzzy'' needles. Usually found on walls and previously broken rock. Formed where decomposition of iron sulfides by weathering, often post-mining, have produced dilute solutions of sulfuric acid, which acted on calcite, dolomite, or limestone.

Hematite F~03 . Common as a soft, red stain on rocks throughout the District. Also found as thin, black, botryoidal incrustation with metallic luster in Cooper Hollow in the eastern part of Galena.

Hemimorphite, Zn4Si20 7(0H)2.H20 "Calamine" Locally Common. Originally common in near­surface deposits, especially in the Joplin, Webb City, Oronogo, Aurora, and Granby sub­districts. Usually coating cavities as masses of small, bladed euhedral crystals; in aggregates (boxwork) and crystalline masses (dry bone ore). Transparent and colorless or white. It may be colored yellow or yellowish green by greenockite. Often associated with smithsonite and, at Granby, with dolomite. Frequently coating calcite crystals or forming casts after calcite crystals or dolomite. At Granby it may be found as pseudomorphs after sphalerite.

Hydrozincite, "White Jack." Zf1s(C03) 2(0H)6 Uncommon, but locally plentiful in oxidized zones, such as Oronogo, Webb City, and Granby, and old workings as bright white (fluorescent blue under shortwave or white under longwave ultraviolet light), coating or incrustation on or near other zinc minerals, especially sphalerite. Sometimes a mammillary or stalactitic form is observed that is composed of concentric layers.

Jarosite, KF~(S04)2(0H)6. Rare, but perhaps more common than generally recognized.

Kaolinite: Al2Si20s(OH)4, a clay. Rare. As white powder in cavities in chert at the Tree Toad Mine northeast of Galena and at the Midas Mine in the Picher Field. The powder consists of minute hexagonal plates.

Lanarkite, Pb20(S04) . Very Rare. Reported, possibly as a surface film on galena.

LeadhiUite, Pb4(S04)(C03) 2(0H)2, Rare, but locally as excellent crystals, especially in the Granby area. Reported especially from the Beer Cellar Mine. Thick, hexagonal tablets or slender hexagonal prisms and parallel aggregates, masses, and crusts, pseudomorphous after galena and calcite. Colorless in small crystals to clear sea-green in larger crystals. Reported from the Big Coon Mine at Galena, Kansas.

Linarite: PbCu 2+(S04)(0H)2. Very Rare. Found at the Big Coon Mine, Galena, associated with cerussite, caledonite, malachite, and aurichalcite.

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Malachite, C~ +2(C03)(0H)2. Uncommon. As small hemispheres of radiating crystals or minute green spots, scales, and plates. Widely distributed throughout the district, but always in small amounts, associated with other copper minerals. At the Big Coon Mine, at Galena malachite

r surrounds massive cuprite. Also found coating covellite pseudomorphs after sphalerite.

Melanterite, FeS04.7H20 . "Copperas." Common. An alteration of pyrite, marcasite, and chalcopyrite that occurs especially after specimens that have been cleaned by washing. It appears as a white powder or crystalline fibers. Specimens of iron sulfides may fall to pieces after a time in museum cases. Also found as watery, green fibrous crusts.

Mimetite: Pb5(As04) 3Cl. Very Rare. Thin encrustation on galena at Seneca, Newton County and from the Sucker Flats in the Webb City area.

Picropharmacolite: Ca4Mg(As030H)2(As04h 11H20 . Very rare, was reported as a coating on dolomite (Genth 1890)

Plumbojarosite, PbFe(S04) 4. Very Rare. Reported as a possible alteration of jarosite.

Pyrolusite: Mn02. Rare and possibly actually other manganese oxides such as todorokite. Reported as a soft, black mineral from a mine west of Black Hill in western Galena, Kansas and from Aurora. Common as dendritic marking on rocks throughout the district.

Pyromorphite, Pb5(P04) 3Cl. Uncommon, but present locally in sufficient quantity to have required special ore dressing techniques near Saginaw, Newton County. Found at Granby, Lone Elm, Joplin, Galena, Roaring Springs, east of Duenweg, and in the Oronogo area. Bright green, hexagonal prismatic crystals, tapered at the ends, generally not larger than 4 mm long, but occasionally up to 1 em long. Steep pyramidal crystals from west of the Black Hill west of Galena, Kansas. Pyromorphite has been found as psuedomorphs after galena as crusts with parts of the cubic outline visible. Occurs at Lone Elm as botryoidal and stalactitic forms coated with cerussite crystals.

Smithsonite, ZnC03 "Turkey Fat Ore or Carbonate" Common in deposits; uncommon as specimens, abundant locally in oxidized, near surface deposits, especially around Webb City, Aurora, Granby, and Oronogo Missouri. The second most common zinc ore. Individual crystals to 1 mm average size can be found but smithsonite is most common as nearly spherical or botryoidal aggregates. Srnithsonite ranges from nearly colorless, white to gray to black, to yellow, greenish-gray, bluish, or occasionally brown. It is subtranslucent to translucent. The yellow botryoidal variety is known by the miner's term "turkey fat ore., The yellow color is due to admixed greenockite. Smithsonite often is found as pseudomorphs or epimorphs after calcite, especially at Granby.

Starkeyite, MgS04.4H20 . Another white efflorescence found on mine walls.

Sulfur: S8. Rare. Minute crystals possibly formed by decomposition of sulfides. Sulfur is often reported in the midwest as a product of decomposition of metallic sulfides. These occurrences often are found to be copiapite on careful examination.

Szomolnokite: FeS04.H20. Rare. Szomolnokite forms a portion ofthe efflorescence that forms

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along with melanterite during the decomposition of pyrite. It is usually associated with copiapite.

Wavellite: Very Rare. as small, white radiating crystals on chert.

Biblio~raphy

Buckley, E. R and Buehler, H. A 1905. The Geology of the Granby Area. Missouri Bureau of Geology and Mines. 120pp.

Hagni, Richard. 1976. Tri-State ore deposits: The character of their host rocks and their genesis. Handbook of strata bound and stratiform ore deposits. Elsevier, New York. Volume 6.

Mandarino, Joseph H. and Back, Malcolm E. 2004. Fleischer 's Glossary of Mineral Species 2004. 9th Edition. The Mineralogical Record, Inc. Tucson, Arizona. 309pp.

McKnight, E.T. and Fischer, R.P. 1970. Geology and ore deposits of the Picher field, Oklahoma and Kansas. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 588. 165pp.

Ritchie, Everett. 1986. Guidebook to the Tri-State Mineral Museum. A&J Printing, Noca, Missouri. 83pp.

Rogers, AF. 1904.. Minerals of the Galena-Joplin lead and zinc district. Kansas Geological Survey Report 8. University Geological Survey of Kansas

Sherwood, Mark D., and Williams, Glenn. 1998 "Missouri Mineral Locality Index." Rocks and Minerals. 73:2:98-117

Wheeler, H.A. 1890. "Recent additions to the mineralogy ofMissouri". Transactions of the St. Louis Academy of Science. pp 126-131.

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