Grand Rapids Gypsum Mine

Past Producer in Kent county in Michigan, United States with commodity Gypsum-Anhydrite
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. Bibliographic references
  16. General comments
  17. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10310006
MRDS ID LW00006
Record type Site
Current site name Grand Rapids Gypsum Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -84.2799, 42.95001 (WGS84)
Relative position WITHIN GRAND RAPIDS CITY LIMITS

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Shiawassee(county)

Michigan(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Laingsburg(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Lansing(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Grand Rapids(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Maple(hydrologic unit)

Southeastern Lake Michigan(hydrologic accounting unit)

Southeastern Lake Michigan(hydrologic subregion)

Great Lakes(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Michigan Kent

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Michigan 007N 12W 34 NW Michigan

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) -84.2799, 42.95001

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Michigan basin
Type of structure Local
Structure description Relatively flat lying

Ore body information

  • Name MICHIGAN FORMATION

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE GYPSUM DEPOSIT IS OVERLAIN WITH VARYING AMOUNTS OF GLACIAL BOULDER CLAY (1 - 20 FEET).

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant Yes
Discoverer Indian trapper brought piece to slater mission from the mouth of Plaster Creek
Year of first production 1849

Mining district

District name Grand Rapids-Grandville District

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Domtar

Comments on development

  • R.E. BUTTERWORTH STARTED (1849-1856), HOVEY & CO. (1856-1860), GRAND RAPIDS GYPSUM (1861-1981), PRESENTLY OWNED BY DOMTAR

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    J.S. DYKSTRA, 1931, GRAND RAPIDS DISTRICT HAS SOME OF WORLDS GREATEST GYPSUM MINES, THE MICHIGAN BELL.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit SEVERAL MINABLE BEDS RECORDED. THE FIRST WORKABLE BED 6 FEET THICK, SECOND BED IS 12-19 FEET BED, THE THIRD BED IS APPROXIMATELY 22 FEET THICK AND IS LOCATED 30-60 FEET BELOW SECOND. THE UPPER BED IS ABSENT IN MANY PLACES DUE TO EROSION. THE 22 FOOT BED IS DIVIDED NEAR THE MIDDLE WIT A 1 FOOT SHALE PARTING. THE OVERBURDEN IN THE AREA RANGES FROM A FEW FEET TO 20 FEET THICK.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 20-AUG-2001 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.