Binghamite.... a blast from the past!
Posted by Kenneth Diede on
Years ago, in Arizona my father traded Montana sapphires to a fellow Minnesotan camp mate for a large parcel of Binghamite. Binghamite, also known as silkstone and cuynite, is a type of agate the was found near iron ore deposits in the Cuyuna iron range near Crosby, Minnesota and is named after William Bingham who discovered it in 1936. Mining has been discontinued for a number of years so the stone has become increasingly rare and sought after by lapidary enthusiasts and collectors. Even the spoils. that were once available to collect are now depleted as the mining area has been flooded.
When my father passed, we inherited this unique material and after sitting in storage for several years we needed to do something with it. Consequently, we cut and sold some and traded some for other lapidary material. One lone piece, the best of the parcel, eventually resurfaced this summer and made its way into the cutting queue. The piece turned out to be spectacular. The very rare and chatoyant red dominates the slabs and is very solid with minimal flaws. We are proud to offer this rare material in the DD Rock shop store.
Enjoy!
Terry
