Hastie’s Quarries, Cave in Rock, Illinois

I was introduced to Don & Bob Hastie by Gill Montgomery in 1983 during a University of Louisville geology dept. field trip I organized. I have visited them regular since then, though I don’t always get in the quarry to collect.

I will provide more details about the geology & minerals at Hastie’s in the future. Here are photos from June 2, 2017.

100-ton hauler going to get more stone.

Panorama from the floor of Hastie’s Quarry. Old mine tunnels on the right. I explored here because there was no mining activity.

Closer view of old mine tunnels

Looking west. This quarry was a series of small pits in 1983. We explored areas that no longer exist.

A great ad for a Ford Ranger in Hastie’s Quarry.

Drilling on the opposite end of the quarry from my location.

Fractured highwall – not a safe place to be close to the walls!

A small cave in the highwall. This isn’t a mine tunnel. Phreatic tube (oval) cross-section is classic for a cave.

Barite-coated fluorite in a boulder. Collected smaller specimens.

Photo cropped to show coralloid barite better.

Fluorite cubes coated with a thin layer of barite – in a big boulder.

Fluorite cubes in a big pocket.

Fluorite, etc. for octahedron chipping as well as some mineralized boulders.

Waiting for ferry at Cave in Rock – looking south to Kentucky.