Sterling Silver Mine, Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USAi

Regional Level Types
Sterling Silver Mine	Mine
Sterling	Town
Worcester County	County
Massachusetts	State
USA	Country

A mid-eighteenth century mine, originally excavated in search of silver, but chiefly worked for iron. At the time of its operation, the mine was located on a 500 acre property called the Charlestown Grant in what was then the Chocksett Precinct, a part of Lancaster which became the town of Sterling in 1781.

A description of this mine is provided by Marvin (1879): "A little north of the west end of East Waushacum [Pond], are the debris of an old mine, which was formerly wrought with energy, though with poor results. Shafts were sunk as early as 1755 in search of silver ore. A Swede [Christian Angel] was the head workman, and he was in the mine at the time of the great earthquake [Cape Ann earthquake, 1755]. Ore in paying quantities was not found, and the work ceased. The opening remains, though nearly filled with water. Tradition says the shaft was carried more than a hundred feet into the bowels of the earth, and the mass of broken pieces of 'plumbago, nickel, sulphates of copper, and of iron, quartz, and various other minerals,' confirm the statement. The rich carbonate of iron, containing ninety per cent, of pure metal, is said to have been the chief product."

Hitchcock (1833), says this deposit was extensively explored in hopes of finding gold and silver.

Dana (1844) describes sphalerite from the locality as "cherry-red" in color. The mine is located about a mile and a half southeast of the center of the town.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References