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Limerock Jasper

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  • Limerock Jasper

    For many years, the Mrs. and I enjoyed occasional visits to the Conklin Limestone Quarry in Lincoln, RI. It was a huge, and very deep open pit quarry and one of the most famous mineral hunting locations in New England. Collectors came from all over the East. You never knew when new pockets of nice minerals and crystals would be uncovered by the quarry operations. It was well known for beautiful specimens of Bowenite, the state Mineral of Rhode Island.

    In 2004, the quarry was allowed to flood, and the pit is now a very deep lake. I believe the company does allow one to visit on Sundays and pick through the tailings, but it's been years since we've visited the location. Operated since the 1650's, it was one of the oldest quarries in the United States.

    A limestone (marble) quarry operated for agricultural lime and decorative aggregate. The marble is ...


    You can also find quality jasper there, and for years archaeologists wondered if the prehistoric inhabitants had ever been able to source that jasper. It is indistinguishable in color from some jasper from Pa. We knew the Jack Reef culture in particular really preferred jasper. Were all their points made from Pa jasper, or was some made from Limerock jasper?

    About 20 years ago, prehistoric workings of outcrops and boulders of Limerock jasper was discovered near the quarry and thus it became known that the jasper had been sourced in the distant past.

    This past weekend, knowing it was not easy to collect anymore, I purchased a nice raw chunk of Limerock jasper at the annual gem, mineral, and fossil show of the RI Mineral Hunters. Quite a few of our personal find jasper artifacts are the same shade. Only destructive testing can determine if these artifacts are Pa jasper or Limerock jasper. But certainly some of the jasper artifacts from RI and Ma were fashioned from this local source...

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    Rhode Island

  • #2
    A couple of scrapers made from a shade of jasper, the most common shade we find, that is a close match to both Limerock jasper and Pa jasper...
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    The story of the discovery of the prehistoric workings:

    Last edited by CMD; 03-04-2024, 09:38 AM.
    Rhode Island

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    • GreatMarsh
      GreatMarsh commented
      Editing a comment
      CMD… I’m not very good at navigating the forum and missed much of your post on the Conklin jasper until tonight. Very interesting. I did read your link to the MAS Bulletin. I knew the Conklin quarry very well but never knew it yielded anything except limestone. Shucks! I enjoyed mineral hunting as a kid and visited Diamond Hill and a couple other places in RI but never realized Conklin was source of multiple minerals. Thanks for the great info on the jasper.

    • CMD
      CMD commented
      Editing a comment
      GreatMarsh, just seeing your comment now. I was unable to access this forum during the time frame of your comment. You’re welcome. The open pit at Conklin flooded years ago, but it may still be possible to collect in the tailings on Sundays. You would need to call the quarry and ask. We have not been there in many years ourselves.

  • #3
    That’s a pretty jasper. I find a little jasper , but it is a little more yellow
    South Dakota

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    • #4
      That is a beautiful material. Thanks.
      Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW Michigan

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      • #5
        Here is a flake I found artifact hunting on the cape..

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        • #6
          Thanks Charlie, That is a beautiful jasper.
          Michigan Yooper
          If You Don’t Stand for Something, You’ll Fall for Anything

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          • #7
            👍👍
            Wandering wherever I can, mostly in Eastern Arkansas, always looking down.

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            • #8
              👍👍
              Wandering wherever I can, mostly in Eastern Arkansas, always looking down.

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              • #9
                Awesome material sir !!!
                As for me and my house , we will serve the lord

                Everett Williams ,
                NW Arkansas

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                • #10
                  Did not know about that quarry . Really great imformation .
                  you know I find a lot of red Jasper in S Georgia .
                  Actually S West Stewart County .
                  Reading books trying to learn ... never ending .

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                  • #11
                    I found this statement to be a very unusual way to describe carved pendants. "
                    "On page 44 of his 1966 guide to the ceremonial and domestic products of aboriginal New England, William S. Fowler illustrated several movable pictographs."
                    Bruce
                    In life there are losers and finders. Which one are you?

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                    • CMD
                      CMD commented
                      Editing a comment
                      A tad late, Bruce. Sorry. He was referring to portable petroglyphs created in a manner that suggests motion on the part of what was being illustrated….

                  • #12
                    Originally posted by 2ndoldman View Post
                    I found this statement to be a very unusual way to describe carved pendants. "
                    "On page 44 of his 1966 guide to the ceremonial and domestic products of aboriginal New England, William S. Fowler illustrated several movable pictographs."
                    Yeah, I think in this instance, Fowler was placing the emphasis on the pictograph, rather then the pendant. Maybe intended in the same vein as "portable petroglyph", for carvings on rocks small enough to be portable.

                    And I agree it's an unusual turn of phrase!

                    Rhode Island

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                    • #13
                      That is some beautiful material Charlie.
                      TN formerly CT Visit our store http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...m-Trading-Post

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