Log In
Devil's Den (Devil's Den lime pit), Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Devil's Den (Devil's Den lime pit) | Quarry (Inactive) |
| Newbury | Town |
| Essex County | County |
| Massachusetts | State |
| USA | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
42° 46' 50'' North , 70° 52' 35'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Quarry (Inactive) - last checked 2020
Deposit first discovered:
1697
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Newburyport | 17,982 (2017) | 3.6km |
| Salisbury | 4,869 (2017) | 6.9km |
| Rowley | 1,416 (2017) | 7.1km |
| West Newbury | 4,221 (2017) | 9.5km |
| Amesbury | 18,313 (2017) | 9.7km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| North Shore Rock & Mineral Club of Massachusetts | South Hamilton, Massachusetts | 19km |
| Southeastern New Hampshire Mineral Club | Dover, New Hampshire | 46km |
| Boston Mineral Club, Inc. | Boston, Massachusetts | 49km |
The limestone at this locality (actually an impure metamorphosed magnesian limestone) was discovered by Ensign James Noyes (b. 1657), and worked beginning in 1697 -- the first "lime quarry" in colonial Massachusetts. Before this time, lime used for mortar for construction purposes was derived from oyster and clam shells.
According to De Alcedo et al. (1812): "In a quarry of limestone here is found the asbestos, or incorruptible cotton, as it is sometimes called." The poet, John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), alludes to this asbestos in "The Double-Headed Snake of Newbury" (1859) with the line "Or the gray earth-flax of the Devil's Den."
The name "Devil's Den" originated with local schoolboys who frequented the abandoned quarry beginning long before 1819. The boys would chew the asbestos, which they called rag-stone. (B.P., 1819)
Parker Cleaveland (1780–1858), the famous American geologist and mineralogist, first collected minerals here in 1811. His half-brother, Rev. Dr. John P. Cleaveland (1799-1873), recalls the day: "I well remember the forenoon of a warm day in the first week in June in 1811 when he made his first visit to the Devil's Den in Newbury. ... It had been visited once before by a Professor from Harvard, and once by some Professor from foreign parts; but its riches were reserved for my brother's eye. He returned to my father's house with one or two candle-boxes filled; and my mother's kitchen was at once turned into a laboratory, and the floor strewed with fragments of every variety which the den yielded . . . No miser ever worshipped his money as he did these specimens. Many of them which I helped him reduce and pack up that day have long had a place in French, German, and Russian Cabinets." (Woods, 1860; Ewell, 1904).
See also the nearby Devil's Basin locality.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
17 valid minerals. 2 erroneous literature entries.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Actinolite Formula: ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 Colour: green References: |
| ⓘ Andradite Formula: Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ Antigorite Formula: Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| ⓘ Arsenopyrite Formula: FeAsS References: |
| ⓘ Brucite Formula: Mg(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Brucite var. Nemalite Formula: Mg(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 |
| ⓘ Calcite var. Calcite Satin Spar Formula: CaCO3 |
| ⓘ Chrysotile Formula: Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 Habit: fibrous Colour: white, greenish References: |
| ⓘ Diopside Formula: CaMgSi2O6 |
| ⓘ Dolomite Formula: CaMg(CO3)2 |
| ⓘ Grossular Formula: Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 Habit: mostly massive; crystals uncommon Colour: orange-brown |
| ⓘ Grossular var. Hessonite Formula: Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ Phlogopite Formula: KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 References: |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ✪ 'Serpentine Subgroup' Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4 Habit: massive Colour: green Description: "Noble serpentine" said to occur here. (Sears, 1894) |
| ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite' Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn Habit: massive, foliated (Sears, 1894) |
| ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite' Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn References: |
| ⓘ Siderite Formula: FeCO3 References: |
| ⓘ Formula: Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl Description: Unbelievable paragenesis. |
| ⓘ Titanite Formula: CaTi(SiO4)O Colour: colorless, pale yellowish tan References: |
| ⓘ Formula: ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 Habit: n/a Description: Wollastonite was mistaken for tremolite. Ref.: Wadsworth, M. Edward (1878): On the So-Called Tremolite of Newbury, Mass. (Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History 19:251).
|
| ⓘ Vesuvianite Formula: Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 Habit: massive Description: Crosby (1888) reported an analysis of a massive brown mineral and found it to be vesuvianite. Sears (1894) did not initially accept this identification, but later (Sears, 1905) he apparently changed his mind.
|
| ⓘ Wollastonite Formula: Ca3(Si3O9) Habit: crystalline aggregates Colour: white References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | Arsenopyrite | 2.EB.20 | FeAsS |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Brucite | 4.FE.05 | Mg(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | var. Nemalite | 4.FE.05 | Mg(OH)2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| ⓘ | Siderite | 5.AB.05 | FeCO3 |
| ⓘ | Calcite var. Calcite Satin Spar | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| ⓘ | Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Chrysotile | 9.00. | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| ⓘ | Andradite | 9.AD.25 | Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ | Grossular | 9.AD.25 | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ | var. Hessonite | 9.AD.25 | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ | Titanite | 9.AG.15 | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| ⓘ | Vesuvianite | 9.BG.35 | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| ⓘ | Diopside | 9.DA.15 | CaMgSi2O6 |
| ⓘ | Actinolite | 9.DE.10 | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Tremolite ? | 9.DE.10 | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Wollastonite | 9.DG.05 | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| ⓘ | Phlogopite | 9.EC.20 | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Antigorite | 9.ED.15 | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| ⓘ | Sodalite ? | 9.FB.10 | Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite' | - | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| ⓘ | '' | - | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| ⓘ | 'var. Picrolite' | - | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Antigorite | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| H | ⓘ Brucite | Mg(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Chrysotile | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| H | ⓘ Brucite var. Nemalite | Mg(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| H | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| H | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| H | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| C | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Calcite var. Calcite Satin Spar | CaCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
| O | ⓘ Antigorite | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Brucite | Mg(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Chrysotile | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| O | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| O | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| O | ⓘ Grossular var. Hessonite | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| O | ⓘ Brucite var. Nemalite | Mg(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Sodalite | Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl |
| O | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| O | ⓘ Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| O | ⓘ Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| O | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| O | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| O | ⓘ Calcite var. Calcite Satin Spar | CaCO3 |
| Na | Sodium | |
| Na | ⓘ Sodalite | Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Antigorite | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Mg | ⓘ Brucite | Mg(OH)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Chrysotile | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Mg | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Mg | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Brucite var. Nemalite | Mg(OH)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| Mg | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Mg | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Al | ⓘ Grossular var. Hessonite | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Al | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Sodalite | Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl |
| Al | ⓘ Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| Al | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Al | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
| Si | ⓘ Antigorite | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Si | ⓘ Chrysotile | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Si | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Si | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Si | ⓘ Grossular var. Hessonite | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Si | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Sodalite | Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl |
| Si | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| Si | ⓘ Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| Si | ⓘ Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| Si | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Si | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| Si | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Sodalite | Na4(Si3Al3)O12Cl |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Phlogopite | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Ca | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Grossular | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Grossular var. Hessonite | Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| Ca | ⓘ Tremolite | ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| Ca | ⓘ Wollastonite | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite var. Calcite Satin Spar | CaCO3 |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| Mn | Manganese | |
| Mn | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Mn | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Actinolite | ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Andradite | Ca3Fe23+(SiO4)3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
| Fe | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Fe | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Ni | Nickel | |
| Ni | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Ni | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Marmolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| Zn | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup var. Picrolite | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 D= Mg, Fe, Ni, Mn, Al, Zn |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
Mindat Articles
Devil’s Den and Basin, Newbury, Massachusetts by Peter CristofonoOther Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Ganderia DomainDomain
- GranderiaPassive Margin
This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
References
Robinson, Samuel (1825) A Catalogue of American Minerals, With Their Localities - Including All Which Are Known to Exist in the United States and British Provinces, And Having the Towns, Counties, and Districts in Each State and Province Arranged Alphabetically. With an Appendix, Containing Additional Localities and a Tabular View. Cummings, Hilliard, & Co. p.63
Hitchcock, Edward (1835) Report on the geology, mineralogy, botany, and zoology of Massachusetts (2nd ed.) J.S. and C. Adams, Amherst, MD.
Devil's Den, Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA