This is Throwback Thursday #21. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected]. Thanks!
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Fluorite is the Illinois State Mineral. For a while, ESCONI had field trips to southern Illinois to collect fluorite. One of the places visited was the Rosiclare Fluorspar and Mining Co., at one time the largest fluorspar mining company in the US. The American Fluorite Museum is located on the site of the company. They have photos, specimens, mining paraphernalia, and instructive dioramas.
By the way. Rosiclare, IL still holds the Fluorspar Festival the first week of October each year.
The following photos are from a field trip to the Rosiclare Fluorspar and Mining Co. on April 25th, 1958. It looks like they were down in the mine itself. After that, they visited the Cave-in-Rock State Park.
Marion, Kentucky
Cave-in-Rock State Park
Ohio River
Awesome specimen of Fluorite from Rosiclare!
