Dwarves' Earth Treasures: Datolites from Mundan Pit

Dwarves' Earth Treasures Online Museum:
Mandan Datolites
Mandan Pit just east of Delaware, Keweenaw CO., Michigan
Field-collecting Status: Private Property, but OK to Collect.

. The Mandan Pit is a gravel pit full of rocks and sand that were carried from nearby sources and deposited by ancient glaciers. Datolites, "float copper" and few other interesting rocks can be found there assuming that you're able to beat anyone to them that is. I hadn't had any good luck with that site so far until I found one in August 2012 and another one in August 2015. Most datolites found there are heavily weathered (bleached), and I had found few small ones crumble away easily. There are some datolites found with colorful centers still intact and it's possible to find any datolites protected within their rock hosts like one I found. It was said that a purple datolite had been found there.

You can click on the pictures to see larger pictures.


Jeffrey A. looking for datolites.

From an old collection.


I finally found this one! August 2012	Found hidden in its rock host. Found by JeffreyA, August 2014



The datolite goes batty.