Hamp Subdistrict

The Hamp Mines are aligned along the Hamp Fault, which lies along the north flank of Hicks Dome. The fault is very poorly exposed and was primarily mapped through mine notes and previous reports by Baxter and Desborough (1965), Weller et al. (1952), and Bastin (1931). The fault strikes almost due east–west circumferential to the dome and dips steeply to the south at 60% to 75% (Bastin 1931). Because the Hamp Fault trends circumferential to Hicks Dome, Denny et al. (2010) suggested the fault was related to the domal or circular uplift at Hicks Dome.

Mines in the Hamp Subdistrict

Hummingbird Mine
This mine is located at the western end of the Hamp Subdistrict (Figure 11). Several shafts and shallow workings are aligned along a N 30° W direction. Ozark-Mahoning mine maps indicate that this vein was referred to as Cross Vein No. 1.

LaRue Shafts
The LaRue Shafts were located along the western portion of the Hamp Subdistrict west of the Carnett No. 3 Shaft and east of the Hummingbird Mine (Figure 11). The LaRue No. 1 and No. 2 were located just east of the Hummingbird Mine (Figure 11).

Carnett Shafts

This prospect was owned by George Carnett and followed the east–west-striking Hamp Fault that dipped 70° S (Weller et al. 1952). A shaft that was dug to approximately 40 feet deep encountered an 8-inch vein of fluorite (Weller et al. 1952). Mine maps from the Ozark-Mahoning data identified nine Carnett shafts, most aligned in a general east–west trend. However, the Carnett No. 1 open cut, near the intersection of secs. 12, 7, 13, and 18, was aligned along a N 30° W vein called the Blue Vein. The southeast extension of the Blue Vein at the Wallace No. 1 was called the Cross Vein No. 2. The Wallace Shaft was located near the southern end of the Blue Vein. Carnett No. 2 and No. 3 were located west of the Blue Vein along the main east–west-trending Hamp Vein. More Information: 10082961

Hamp Mine

The Hamp Mine worked open pits at the surface and underground on several working levels. In 1938, a new shaft was sunk to 100 feet, where a winze was driven 60 feet into good spar, and there a level was driven west for 100 feet (Davis and Trought 1939). The Aluminum Ore Company began digging a three-compartment shaft on the Hamp property in 1940 (Davis and Trought 1941). According to Davis and Trought (1941) a three-compartment shaft, probably the Central Shaft, was being dug in 1940. The fault was reported to dip steeply to the south and was worked on underground levels at 100, 200, and 300 feet. Two air shafts were present, but the Central Shaft was the main production shaft. An igneous dike was encountered in underground drilling on the 200-foot level. In 1951, Trammel and Guard (Davis 1953) were operating the Hamp Mine, and by 1953, ALCOA was producing ore from this region (Holtzinger and Roberts 1956). Ozark-Mahoning maps indicate that underground workings were present at levels of 100, 200, and 300 feet between the Carnett No. 1 and Hamp No. 1 Shafts. The apparent main shaft for this complex was called the Central Shaft (Figure 11). More Information: 10110433 10082987

Frohock Prospect
The Frohock Prospect, operated by Williams and LaRue, was located along the Hamp Fault (Weller et al. 1952). This prospect followed traces of gravel spar at the surface (Weller et al. 1952).

Weidman Prospect
Several prospect shafts are located here, ranging from 10 to 25 feet deep (Weller et al. 1952). Ozark-Mahoning mine maps identify, from south to north, the Big Tom Shaft, Ashford Shaft, WMS 5 Shaft, and Humm Shaft, which are aligned about N 35° W. These shafts were located north of the Carnett Shafts near the eastern end of the Hamp Subdistrict. More Information: 10083041

Gintert Mines

Weller et al. (1952) listed three Gintert Mines near Karbers Ridge but did not plot these shafts on the accompanying map. Beecher Williams operated two Gintert shafts. The location of the first is T 11 S-R 8 E-8 (SW¼ SW¼ SE¼). This shaft was dug 30 to 60 feet deep along a 2.5-foot-thick vein striking N 45° W and dipping to the northeast. Gravel spar was also reported at this mine. The second Gintert shaft operated by Williams was east of the first and was a 70-foot-deep exploratory shaft that uncovered only traces of spar. The third location was given as T 11 S-R 8 E-17 (NE¼ NE¼ NE¼). This mine was operated by the Crystal Fluorspar Company, and a small amount of gravel spar trending N 60° E was recovered (Weller et al. 1952). More Information: 10082984

Diamond Mine
The Diamond Mine was operated by George Carnett (Weller et al. 1952). A small amount of gravel spar was obtained in open cuts dug to depths of 40 to 125 feet (Weller et al. 1952). Ozark-Mahoning files indicate a Carnett shaft and the Arza Grace test pit in this general area, which is along the eastern edge of the Hamp Subdistrict (Figure 11). More Information: 10082973

Other Mines
Other shafts mapped in this area were the Cloverleaf, Hagan, and Wagner, which were all located near the eastern edge of the subdistrict. The Redd Shaft was located between the Carnett No. 2 and No. 3 Shafts (Figure 11).

References

Bastin, E.S., 1931, The fluorspar deposits of Hardin and Pope Counties, Illinois: Illinois Geological Survey, Bulletin 58, 116 p.

Baxter, J.W., and G.A. Desborough, 1965, Areal geology of the Illinois Fluorspar District: Part 2—Karbers Ridge and Rosiclare Quadrangles: Illinois State Geological Survey, Circular 385, 40 p.

Brecke, E.A., 1965, Reply to the discussion by A.J. Erickson, Jr.: Economic Geology, v. 60, p. 384 and p. 1070–1073.

Cline, B.L., 2012, More history, mystery, and hauntings of Southern Illinois: Rockford, Illinois, Black Oak Media, 58 p.

Davis, H.W., 1943, Fluorspar and cryolite, in F.M. Shore, ed., Minerals yearbook 1941: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Economics and Statistics Service, p. 1399–1416.

Davis, H.W., 1953, Fluorspar and cryolite, in L.L. Fischman, ed., Minerals yearbook 1950: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, p. 521–538.

Davis, H.W., and M.E. Trought, 1939, Fluorspar and cryolite, in H.H. Hughes, ed., Minerals yearbook 1939 [year 1938]: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Economics and Statistics Branch, p. 1281–1296.

Davis, H.W., and M.E. Trought, 1941, Fluorspar and cryolite, in E.W. Pehrson and H.D. Keiser, eds., Minerals yearbook review of 1940: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Economics and Statistics Branch, p. 1295–1312.

Denny, F.B., B. King, J. Mulvaney-Norris, and D.H. Malone, 2010, Bedrock geology of Karbers Ridge Quadrangle, Hardin, Gallatin, and Saline Counties, Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey, IGQ Karbers Ridge-BG, 2 sheets, 1:24,000; report, 7 p.

Holtzinger, J.E., and L.C. Roberts, 1956, Fluorspar and cryolite, in M.J. Ankeny, ed., Minerals yearbook 1953: Metals and minerals (except fuels), Volume I: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Division of Minerals, p. 463–478.

Weller, J.M., R.M. Grogan, and F.E. Tippie, 1952, Geology of the fluorspar deposits of Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey, Bulletin 76, 147 p.