History of the Glitter Mine:
The "Glitter Mine"
is an active mining claim issued by the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) governed by the General Mining Act of 1872, as amended. Feller
Stone holds the claim and has the exclusive rights to remove selenite
for the purposes of commercial sales. Feller Stone in Veyo, Utah,
sells this selenite as "Utah Ice".
Responsible
Use of Public Lands:
Those who plan to mine for mineral
extraction enter into an agreement with the BLM to restore the site
to its natural condition upon completion of the project. This
process, called reclamation, is accomplished by contouring the site
and replanting vegetation. Once reclaimed, little to no evidence of
the mining activity will remain.
Guidelines for
Visiting:
--Digging and mining tools are prohibited. This
includes hammers, picks, shovels, machinery, etc.
--For your
safety, do not go near or in the mine's pit.
--Please help keep
the site free of trash.
--For your safety and the safety of
others, do not shoot near the mine.
--Please visit the site safely
and responsibly and be respectful of this mining claim.
Mining
on Public Lands:
The General Mining Act of 1872 is a federal
law that authorizes and governs prospecting and mining on federal
lands. This law states how to acquire and maintain mining
claims.
Under this law, U.S. citizens can locate a mining
claim on federal lands open to mineral entry. A mining claim may be
located, once a discovery of a valuable mineral has been made.
Once
the claim is established, the claimant has the exclusive right to
remove and sell those valuable minerals.
Locally there are
many active claims on public lands administered by the BLM Arizona
Strip Field Office including claims located for gypsum and
uranium.
What is selenite?
This mine contains a
deposit of a transparent, crystalline form of gypsum called
“selenite” (CaSO4-2H20)
All varieties of gypsum
are very soft minerals. In fact, the most important identifying
characteristic of gypsum is its lack of hardness. If you find a clear
mineral, try scratching it with your fingernail. Gypsum has a
hardness of 2 on the Mohs scale, which is softer than your
fingernail. Other transparent minerals, such as quartz, and varieties
of mica, are harder than your fingernail and will not be
scratched.
How does Gypsum form?
Gypsum is commonly
formed in highly evaporative environments, such as closed-basin
lakes. In these lakes, a water source terminates in the lake basin.
Dissolved ions within the water concentrate in the basin. As water
evaporates, the minerals precipitate out of the water and form solid
salts, including calcite, gypsum, and halite (table salt). An example
of this type of environment is the Great Salt Lake.
This
selenite was deposited as part of the Moenkopi Formation during the
early Triassic about 240 million years ago. At this time, a large
basin existed over the southern portion of Utah and this area of
northern Arizona.
BLM Land Benefits Americans
The
BLM strives to be a good neighbor within its communities by balancing
land conservation with multiple us.
The BLM provides
opportunities for local economic growth and sustainability in areas
such as recreation, ranching, forest and woodland products, mining
and energy development. BLM lands provide valuable tangible good that
surrounding communities rely on and use every day to heat homes,
build and maintain roads, and feed families.
Please help the
BLM with its mission to sustain the health, diversity and
productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present
and future generations.
For more information contact Rachel
Carnahan BLM Arizona Strip District 435-688-3303 or Feller Stone at
435-574-9300