Here Ore There EarthCache

This cache has been archived.

David: This earthcache is now archived and new logs will not be accepted. My sincere thanks to all who found it and made the effort to log it legitimately.

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Hidden : 3/7/2005
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:


Here Ore There


Birmingham (Alabama) was once synonymous with the steel industry. Although times have changed, Birmingham owes its past to the steel industry that helped give it the nickname, The Magic City. The nickname came about from the fact that the city seemed to magically spring to life so very quickly. Three very important elements found in the area now known as the City of Birmingham caused this rapid growth. These elements are coal, limestone, and iron ore.

The purpose of this earthcache is to highlight one of the largest seams of iron ore in the world. This seam of iron ore measures up to 35 feet thick and stretches for over one hundred miles through the North Alabama counties of Bibb, Blount, DeKalb, Cherokee, Etowah, Jefferson, and St. Clair. Iron ore is a very important ingredient used in the production of iron and steel. The scientific name for iron ore is hematite. Hematite was designated the Official State Mineral by the Alabama Legislature in 1967. If you are familiar with how elements are listed on a periodic table you may recognize it as the chemical compound Fe2O3. Its CAS number is [1317-60-8]. Iron ore mining ceased in Birmingham in 1975 due to the availability of less-expensive, imported ore. Between 1840 and 1975, approximately 375 million tons of iron ore were mined from this seam. The majority of production came from Jefferson County (Birmingham).



When visiting the listed coordinates, you will find yourself on Red Mountain in Birmingham. The name Red Mountain comes from the red color of the iron ore as you can see in the picture to the right. Feel free to take a small piece of ore as a souvenir of your visit to the area, but be careful when handling because it will discolor your hands and clothing.



In the picture to the right, you can see a cross-section of where the iron ore is located within the mountain. The first 50 feet below the surface soil is sandstone. Underneath, there is an approximately 35 foot thick seam of iron ore, followed by another 100 feet of sandstone. Below this lower level of sandstone is the limestone layer which is also important in the production of iron and steel.

At the top of the mountain near the listed coordinates is Vulcan Park. You can visit the largest cast iron statue in world here. Yes, the statue which depicts Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and forge, was made from Red Mountain iron ore. He weighs approximately 60 tons and stands on a pedestal of local sandstone that is over 123 feet tall. He has a chest circumference of 22 feet, 6 inches; a waist circumference of 18 feet, 3 inches; and stands over 56 feet tall. Not only is Vulcan the largest cast iron statue in the world, it is also the largest statue ever constructed in the United States, and is the second-largest statue standing in the United States behind the Statue of Liberty. Vulcan Park also has a museum where you can learn more about iron ore and mining history in the area. It is not necessary to visit the park to log this earthcache, but if you have time you will definitely find it an enjoyable, informative experience.


How do you log your find for this earthcache? It is really quite simple. Visit the area at the listed coordinates and you will find the sign in picture to the right. (For paperless users, the text on the sign includes "This Red Mountain Iron Ore is basis of Birmingham's Iron-Steel industry.") The sign was a gift from the Ramsay family to the City of Birmingham in 1942. When you find the sign, take a picture which shows both the sign and your GPSr and upload the picture with your log.
Note: With the recent changes in GPS hardware, users with the Oregon 550 series and with iPhones are exempt from having the GPSr in the photo if taken with the device. Please mention it in your log.



To fulfill the educational requirements for earthcaches, you should also send me an email with the answers to the following questions:

  • We know that hematite is the basic component, but of what use are coal and limestone in the production of iron and steel?
  • In the text above, it is mentioned that hematite will discolor your hands and clothing. In what applications other than iron and steel is hematite used?
  • At what exposition, and in what year was the Vulcan statue first shown?


Any claimed finds without proper documentation within 48 hours will be deleted without notice.






I hope that you enjoyed learning a bit about the history of Birmingham and why iron ore is such an important mineral. Without it, we would not have the iron and steel items used by all of us each and every day.

Sources: (partial)
Hematite Alabama. Alabama Department of Archives & History.
http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_miner.html (accessed: February 20, 2007).
Vulcan Statue. Answers.com.
http://www.answers.com/topic/vulcan-statue (accessed: February 20, 2007).
Ramsay; Red Mountain.
http://www.bhamrails.info/vulcan_trail.htm (accessed: February 20, 2007).

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