Altemark talc mine

DESCRIPTION

I'm waiting for a description from my Norwegian friends, but I haven't got anything yet!
The Altemark talc mine is situated about 5-10 km west of Mo I Rana, Norway. It is mined for talc in an underground mine, employing ??? people.
There are two or three places for scrap material from the mine. If you would like to collect minerals, first check with the workers that there are no activity where you are planning to collect. ( This is only personal experience, I have no connection with the mine in any way and can't guarantee that it is as I saying.)

GEOLOGY

The mine is driven in a talc zone around a peridotite body. The central body consisting of serpentinite stands out as a very narrow and barren cliff in a valley. Between the mine and the old dump pile is another outcrop where it is possible to study the weathered surface of the serpentinite. It is called "elephant skin", which is a very good description of how it looks.

VISITS

1997 I visited Altemark a couple of times during a week when I was visiting my friends Eli and Odd Finanger in Mo I Rana. They showed me the mine and how the different minerals looked like. I managed to collect a number of different minerals during these days, and my poor car suffered alot from my heavy collection during the trip back to Umeå.

Mineral assemblage

Magnetite, Actinolite, Chlor apatite, Magnesite, Dravite, Anthophyllite, Muscovite, Fuchsite.

Magnetite
A small (4mm) magnetite crystal in chlorite.
The crystal isn't the bigges one, but the form is almost perfect.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Magnetite
A couple of magnetite crystals in chlorite.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Chlorapatite
Chlorapatite in a matrix of biotite and chlorite.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, 59k)

Chlorapatite
Chlorapatite (yellow xx), length 7cm.
The other piece of the rock above, seen from the side.
Collected in 1997.
(200 dpi, 800x600, 66k)

Some sulfide mineral as bronce flakes in chlorite.
Collected in 1997.
(200 dpi, 800x600, 103k)

Magnesite
It's hard to see in this picture, but in the chlorite is a magnesite crystal at about 4 cm long.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Actinolite
A spray of actinolite crystals in talc.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, 77k)

Actinolite
Actinolite crystals in talc and magnesite.
The lower crystal is cracked at two places and bent together into a triangle. The fractures is healed with magnesite.
The crystals have nice form, but lacks terminations.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, 77k)

Dravite
Dravite in chlorite. This piece was found on the dump pile before you reach the mine.
The tourmaline looks black, but shows a brown color when chrushed. Collected in 1997.
(200 dpi, 800x600, k)

Anthophyllite
A nice piece of chlorite with a number of small anthophyllite suns over the whole surface.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Anthophyllite
This piece of chlorite have one side decorated with a couple of anthophyllite crystals a couple of centimeters long. The color is colorless with a pinkish hue.
To the right in the picture it is possible to see the vein of almost single crystalline magnesite. It also breaks through in the front side, as bleak yellow mineral by weathering. The fresh side shows a pearly lustre.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Muscovite
Muscovite with magnesite/dolomite, and chlorite.
The muscovite is in the middle of the stone, but reflections make it look very dark. In real life it have a silvery white nuance.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Fuchsite
Fuchsite in calcite.
The fuchsite is found in some boulders of calcite. To find it you should look for a thin green line and then hit the rock hard enough to crack it open. It oftens cracks along the fuchsite.
Collected in 1997.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

If you have some questions, suggestions or comments you are welcome to write me a line or two.

Locality index. Main index.

axelsson@acc.umu.se

	Magnetite A small (4mm) magnetite crystal in chlorite. The crystal isn't the bigges one, but the form is almost perfect. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Magnetite A couple of magnetite crystals in chlorite. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Chlorapatite Chlorapatite in a matrix of biotite and chlorite. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, 59k)
	Chlorapatite Chlorapatite (yellow xx), length 7cm. The other piece of the rock above, seen from the side. Collected in 1997. (200 dpi, 800x600, 66k)
	Some sulfide mineral as bronce flakes in chlorite. Collected in 1997. (200 dpi, 800x600, 103k)
	Magnesite It's hard to see in this picture, but in the chlorite is a magnesite crystal at about 4 cm long. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Actinolite A spray of actinolite crystals in talc. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, 77k)
	Actinolite Actinolite crystals in talc and magnesite. The lower crystal is cracked at two places and bent together into a triangle. The fractures is healed with magnesite. The crystals have nice form, but lacks terminations. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, 77k)
	Dravite Dravite in chlorite. This piece was found on the dump pile before you reach the mine. The tourmaline looks black, but shows a brown color when chrushed. Collected in 1997. (200 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Anthophyllite A nice piece of chlorite with a number of small anthophyllite suns over the whole surface. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Anthophyllite This piece of chlorite have one side decorated with a couple of anthophyllite crystals a couple of centimeters long. The color is colorless with a pinkish hue. To the right in the picture it is possible to see the vein of almost single crystalline magnesite. It also breaks through in the front side, as bleak yellow mineral by weathering. The fresh side shows a pearly lustre. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Muscovite Muscovite with magnesite/dolomite, and chlorite. The muscovite is in the middle of the stone, but reflections make it look very dark. In real life it have a silvery white nuance. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Fuchsite Fuchsite in calcite. The fuchsite is found in some boulders of calcite. To find it you should look for a thin green line and then hit the rock hard enough to crack it open. It oftens cracks along the fuchsite. Collected in 1997. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)