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Official Alabama Mineral
Hematite
Hematite, a form of iron, is also known as "red iron ore". Hematite was mined
for many years in central and northeastern Alabama in Bibb, Blount, DeKalb,
Cherokee, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, and Tuscaloosa counties. Hematite
occurs along the entire length of Red Mountain. Birmingham became an
industrial
center because of the iron ore found there along with coal and
limestone. From
about 1840 to 1975, approximately 375 million tons of iron ore
were mined in Alabama,
mainly from the Birmingham red-ore district. Iron ore
mining in the state ended
in 1975. The statue of Vulcan in Birmingham is cast
from iron ore and stands
atop Red Mountain. Vulcan is the largest cast-iron
structure ever made.
In 1967 hematite was chosen as the State Mineral by the Alabama Legislature.
Sources:
Act 67-503, Acts of Alabama, September 7, 1967
Geological Survey of Alabama.
Return to Kids' Emblems pageUpdated: March 29, 2007
http://www.archives.alabama.gov/kids_emblems/st_miner.html
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