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Alabaster Quarry

Producer in Iosco county in Michigan, United States with commodity Gypsum-Anhydrite
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Geologic structures
  11. Ore body information
  12. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  13. Mining district
  14. Ownership information
  15. Production statistics
  16. Bibliographic references
  17. General comments
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10310001
MRDS ID LW00001
Record type Site
Current site name Alabaster Quarry

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -83.56988, 44.18 (WGS84)
Elevation 183
Location accuracy 1000(meters)
Relative position SIX MILES SOUTH OF THE CITY OF TAWAS ON HIGHWAY 23. OFFICE AND PLANT LOCATED EAST SIDE OF HIGHWAY - QUARRY IS LOCATED ON WEST SIDE OF US 23., LAT/LONG IS BASED ON CENTER POINT IN SECTION 27.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Iosco(county)

Michigan(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Alabaster(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Tawas City(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Tawas City(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Au Gres-Rifle(hydrologic unit)

Southwestern Lake Huron(hydrologic accounting unit)

Southwestern Lake Huron(hydrologic subregion)

Great Lakes(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Michigan Iosco

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Michigan 021N 07E 27,28,22,21,29 Michigan

Comments on the location information

  • AERIAL PHOTOS FLOWN IN 1998 SHOWS MINING LOCATION AS: ALL SECTION 27 AND 28, S 1/2 SECTION 22, SE 1/4 SECTION 21, NE 1/4 SECTION 29. COMPANY OWNS (POSSIBLE FUTURE MINING SITES) ALL SECTION 21, 28, 27, 26, 22, W 1/2 SECTION 15, S 1/2 SECTION 16, SE 1/4 OF SECTION 17, SE 1/4 SECTION 10, E 1/2 SECTION 29.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gypsum-Anhydrite Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gypsum Ore

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 253
USGS model code 35a.5 (35ae)
Deposit model name Bedded gypsum: marine evaporite gypsum

Nearby scientific data

(1) -83.56988, 44.18
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Michigan basin
Type of structure Local
Structure description Flat lying

Ore body information

  • Name MICHIGAN FORMATION
    General form NATIONAL CITY GYPSUM MEMBER OF MICHIGAN FORMATION
    Strike FLAT
    Dip FLAT
    Thickness 5M
    Depth to top 20M
    Depth to bottom 30M
  • Thickness 1.5M
  • Thickness 2M

Comments on the ore body information

  • Depth to top of orebody 60-80 ft. Depth to bottom of orebody 90-120 ft. Thickness 12-18 ft.

Comments on the geologic information

  • GYPSUM DEPOSIT CONSIST OF THREE BEDS OVERLAIN BY APPROXIMATELY 60-80 FEET OF GLACIAL BOULDER CLAY OVERBURDEN. THE BEDS ARE SEPARATED BY TWO THIN (3-5 FEET) SHALE LAYERS.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Significant Yes
Discoverer Bela Hubbard found gypsum in adjacent Arenac County In 1841
Year of first production 1865
Year of last production 2001

Mining district

District name Alabaster District

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner United States Gypsum Company
  • Type Operator
    Owner United States Gypsum Company

Production statistics

  • Year 1983
    Period 1974-1983
    Ore mined 14501592mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major gypsum Gypsum-Anhydrite Gypsum-Anhydrite 90wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • GRADE IS REPORTED IN USGS BULLETIN NUMBER 220

Comments on the workings information

  • THE BEDS ARE WORKED TOGETHER AS BENCHES WITH INTERVENING SHALE BEING STRIPPED AND DISCARDED. THE THREE BEDS ARE ARE BLENDED TO MAINTAIN 90% OR GREATER GYPSUM ORE. SOME SALT IS FOUND IN THE LOWEST MOST BED. THE SALT IS BLENDED INTO THE MIX WHICH REMAINS BELOW PERMISSIBLE 1/2 POUND PER TON OF CRUDE GYPSUM.

Comments on development

  • Still producing in 2001
  • B.F. SMITH (1865-1891) WESTERN PLASTER WORKS(1891-1902) US GYPSUM COMPANY (1902 - CURRENT)

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    A.H. STEVENS, 1968, ECONOMIC POTENTIAL ON MICHIGAN'S GYPSUM DEPOSITS, CONSUMER POWER COMPANY, JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

  • Deposit

    L.I. BRIGGS, 1970, GEOLOGY OF GYPSUM IN THE LOWER PENINSULA, MICHIGAN, PROCEEDINGS SIXTH FORUM ON GEOLOGY OF INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, MISC 1, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

  • Production

    U.S. BUREUA OF MINES

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit GYPSUM HAS BEEN MINED AT ALABASTER SINCE 1865 UNDER VARIOUS COMPANIES. UNITED STATES GYPSUM HAS MAINTAINED OWNERSHIP SINCE 1902. THEY PRODUCED CRUDE GYPSUM SINCE 1929. PRIOR TO THAT TIME CALCINATED GYPSUM WAS PRODUCED.
Deposit THREE BEDS OVERLAIN BY GLACIAL BOULDER CLAY. FIRST BED IS WHITE GYPSUM BED (THICKEST), SECOND BED IS THE ORANGE GYPSUM BED (THINNEST), THE LOWEST BED IS HI-PURITY GYPSUM WITH SOME SALT (NaCl). GYPSUM BEDS OCCUR AS IRREGULAR EROSIONAL SURFACE SUBCROPS AT BASE OF GLACIAL DRIFT.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 15-AUG-01 Anderson, Arlene (M. Gere) Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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