Quarrying Pipestone Quarrying of Pipestone for use artistically carving of Pipestone pipes and other articles is a slow and labor intense project The process requires many person hours, hand tools such as (sledge hammers, pry bars, chisels, wedges, and picks), Quarrying time can be estimated at approximately three to six weeks and involves several steps. The Pipestone is sandwiched between two layers of the hard Sioux quartzite and on the top, earth varying depth of one to six feet deep. Quartzite depth also varies from three to fourteen feet depending upon how extensive the Quarrying operation is conducted at a particular site. The Pipestone vein varies from fourteen to eighteen inches thick and is layered with the maximum thickness of 1 1/2’ to 2’. Occasionally pieces thicker than 2 we found since they are the reality most quarriers keep theses pieces for themselves. Each layer is carefully removed one layer at a time. The quarriers refer the pieces of Pipestone as a seam, a portion varying in size, with a definite separation from top to bottom. The quarrier will be sure to remove enough of the over burden to fully expose each seam they are after. Quarrying requires removing the over burden to expose the soft red stone. Using picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows, the rock/soil mix is removed to expose the Sioux quartzite layers. The quartzite consists of several layers with definite fractures or cracks visible, where the worker will set chisels and wedges and start to drive them into the fractures or cracks with sledgehammers. The wedges will loosen the quartzite, which will then be pried away from the quartzite wall and drop to the quarry floor. Large malls are used to break up the large chunks into smaller pieces or fragments which we of a size that the worker can lift and throw away from the quarry floor. This process is repeated until the Pipestone is exposed. Once the Pipestone is exposed, extreme care is taken to remove the Pipestone from its setting place. The first layer of each seam is not usable for carving, the middle layers varying quality and is useful for smaller carvings and sometimes pipes, and the bottom layer is of the best quality for pipes and larger carvings and generally the thickest, hardest and deepest red color. Pipestone can also have pinkish or white spots of varying size, dark reddish purple spots or swirls and pinkish to white lines. Some feel that the deep red solid color is the best quality stone while, others feet the spotted stone is. I have head it said that the white spots represent where spirits have touched the rock and left their mark. After hearing this story it was brought to my attention by a geologist that the lighter color was caused by water slowly flowing from the surface down through the layers of rock and finally the pipestone rock. The water washed away over 1,000’s of year a small amount of the iron oxide, which causes the red color. I felt that this only strengthened my belief that the stone was indeed toughed by the spirits.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 03:30:00 +0000
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