‘MARBLE AT FAULT’
Project No. 13/67
Why did the Northern Exploration Co. abandon its marble
quarries on Blomstrand?
© Frigga Kruse 2015
Blomstrand, or Marble Island, has a colourful history:
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Ernest Mansfield described an island of marble in 1906
The Northern Exploration Co. began operations in 1911
The NEC was absent during WWI
Quarrying was renewed in 1919
The site was abandoned in 1920
© Frigga Kruse 2015
Why?
A shallow marble quarry opened in 1919
© Frigga Kruse 2015
Fracturing is ongoing on Blomstrand today
© Frigga Kruse 2015
We looked in great detail at the rock surrounding old
quarries and boreholes
© Frigga Kruse 2015
We used groundpenetrating radar (GPR)
to look at the subsurface
© Frigga Kruse 2015
Was the rock around the old quarries and boreholes
disturbed or did it have economic potential?
© Frigga Kruse 2015
What other reasons may have led to the abandonment?
Archival research might provide an answer.
© Frigga Kruse 2015
Some disturbances were clearly visible at the surface. The
GPR survey revealed areas of disturbances but also intact
rock. How much waste rock is too much waste rock?
Large fault in old quarry
© Frigga Kruse 2015
Irregardless of the quality of High Arctic marble and the
ease of working it, the documents indicate that global
markets and a lack of demand may yet be to blame.
Thank you!
[email protected]
© Frigga Kruse 2015