The sample described here was taken from the mine dumps of the Holländarfältet. The mine dumps were removed in 2011, only some smaller dumps for collecting minerals remained.
A polished slab of the average ore, mainly magnetite with bands of skutterudite and chalcopyrite. The individual magnetite grains are easily visible. Size: 11 cm wide.
A 6400 dpi scan covering about 15 mm of the sample, showing the skutterudite:
And a polished sample with Nic //, Obj. 20x, air, 100 µm scale bar. Mag: magnetite, Ccp: chalcopyrite, Skt: skutterudite:
Partly the magnetite is converted into hematite. Hem: hematite (martitization of the magnetite). Nic //, Obj. 20x, air, 100 µm scale bar:
The sample very quickly developed a stain, here visible on the magnetite. Note the beginning martitization between the grains of magnetite (Nic //, Obj. 20x, air, 100 µm scale bar):
Same assemblage of Mag, Skt and Hem (Nic //, Obj. 20x, air, 100 µm scale bar):
For further informations on the region these articles might be interesting:
Västerviks Kommun (2004): Kulturhistorisk utredning av Gladhammars gruvomrade
Envipro miljöteknik AB (2000): Gladhammars Gruvält_Utökad Förstudie