Minerals from the Biggsville Quarry,
Biggsville, Henderson County, Illinois
The Biggsville Quarry is located just west of Biggsville in
central Henderson County, about 15 miles east of the Mississippi River and
Burlington, Iowa along US 34. This quarry has produced some fine calcite,
sphalerite, and millerite in addition to various fossils over the course of
several decades. Collecting access to the quarry, like most other quarries
in the Midwest, is extremely limited or virtually impossible due to increasing
liability concerns and recently access was completely sealed off even to those
few that had access. Expect little or no new material to become available
unless from local collectors and/or older collections.
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To Order: Use the provided secure
shopping cart, E-mail, or
call Mike at (309) 335-6740
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Biggsville 01:
Calcite on limestone: 8
x 6 x 2 cm (3.2 x 2.4 x 0.8 inches) - $15.00
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Biggsville
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Numerous calcite crystals ranging in size from just a few millimeters up
to the main crystal being 3 cm (1.2 inches) across are scattered heavily on
a limestone matrix base. There is a small nick on the main crystal as
the lower left photo shows and a few other crystals have minor rubs but very
few of these are truly clean. A fine small cabinet specimen from this
quarry. $15.00 |
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Biggsville |
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Biggsville 06:
Sphalerite: 3.2 x 3 x 1.8 cm (1.3 x 1.2 x 0.7 inches) - $6.00
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Partial crystal of sphalerite. The photo does not depict the
specimen particularly well but the crystal is the typical black nature of
sphalerite for western Illinois quarries. Crystal is just a partial
crystal - back side is cleaved. $6.00
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Biggsville |
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Biggsville 08:
Sphalerite with associated limestone matrix: 3.7 x 2.8 x 2 cm (1.55 x 1.1 x
0.8 inches) - $6.00
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Reference specimen of sphalerite with associated limestone. There
are a few crystal edges that are contacted and/or poorly formed and the
association with limestone detracts from the overall presentation of the
crystal. Still, a good reference sphalerite from this western Illinois
quarry. $6.00
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Biggsville 09:
Calcite on matrix: 3 x 3.6 x 1.5 cm (1.2 x 1.4 x 0.6 inches) - $6.00
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Biggsville 10:
Sphalerite: 3.8 x 2.1 x 1 cm (1.5 x 0.8 x 0.4 inches) - $7.00
sold |
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Interesting calcite habit featuring "mounded" balls of consolidated
calcite on a light matrix base. This specimen is likely from the upper
reaches of the quarry. I cannot find any rubs or contacting on this
small miniature. $6.00 |
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A good example of a typical sphalerite from this quarry. The
crystal is complete all around and has only the smallest amount of
contacting on the base. Not the greatest in terms of luster but still
a good crystal. $7.00 |
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Biggsville 11:
Sphalerite with Pyrite: 7 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm (2.8 x 1.4 x 1 inches) -
$15.00 sold |
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Biggsville |
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Decent sized (nearly 3 inch) sphalerite with associated limestone and
also pyrite. The pyrite is present on a few crystal faces and really
lights up when turned in the light just right. The sphalerite is
well-formed but does not have the luster quite like other crystals from the
area but is still a good size and the association with pyrite is a bonus.
Some minor contacting in a few areas but nothing significant. $15.00 |
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Biggsville |
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Biggsville 14:
Sphalerite with Pyrite: 5 x 3.5 x 1.5 cm (2 x 1.4 x 0.6 inches) -
$8.00
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Somewhat crude sphalerite crystal with numerous small crystal faces on
the right edge with larger faces on the left and back side. Some
golden pyrite is also in association. The photographs illustrate too
much light coming back - sphalerite is much darker (nearly black) than shown
here. $8.00
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Biggsville 15:
Calcite with Millerite inclusions on limestone: 6 x 3 x 2 cm (2.4 x
1.2 x 0.8 inches) - $10.00
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Biggsville
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Calcite crystals up to 1 cm (0.4 inches) across reside on the top of a
limestone matrix base. Some of these calcites contain very small
growths of millerite at their bases closest to the limestone matrix, giving
a somewhat cloudy appearance to some crystals. Only minor nicking to a
few crystals on the edge of the specimen. $10.00 |
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Information E-mail
call Mike at (309) 335-6740
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