Contorted beds of Bell IslandThe sedimentary rocks of Bell Island island were laid down in the lower Ordovician period almost 490 million years ago. Beds of oolitic hematite are interbedded higher up in the sequence that outcrop on the west side of the island. The reddish rocks were used for many years as ballast for ships sailing across the Atlantic but it wasn't until 1895 that the first small shipment of ore was sent to Halifax.
Bell Island, once the largest iron ore mine in the world, produced 79 million tons of ore until it closed in 1966. It didn't close because ore ran out. No, it was a casualty of open pit mining that made it more economical to produce iron ore elsewhere in the world, including Labrador.
Estimates of ore remaining underground range from 2,500,000,000 to 10,000,000,000 tons. Yes, that's billions of tons.
I was looking at this image when it struck me how the layers in that pinnacle of rock match so well with the ones behind that you almost can't tell that it's there!! Pretty good camouflage!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice that effect Sean. The paddler in the picture also adds the the overall scene!
ReplyDeleteTony :-)
Of course he does!!
ReplyDelete