A collection of hundreds of stromatolite and contextual samples from the Biwabik and Gunflint Formations from across Northern Minnesota and Southern Ontario.
In the Spring of 2023 I was granted possession of a collection of samples from the ~ 1.8 to 1.9 Ga Biwabik and Gunflint Formations.
I had originally been given the opportunity to organize and curate a collection of hundreds of samples (over 500 lbs or 230 kgs) collected by Roland Mohr from around 1972 to 1974. Mohr was a graduate student working in the then Geology Department at UMN studying stromatolites. Unfortunately, Mohr did not finish their work/graduate, and from what I understand they took their own life, so hopefully by keeping this collection organized and available for research, Mohr's legacy can be honored and kept alive. Mohr's samples are primarily stromatolites with some associated contextual samples from the Biwabik Formation in Northern Minnesota - part of the famous 'Iron Range' - and the Gunflint Formation in Southern Ontario and far Northern Minnesota. There are a few other samples of stromatolites from younger units in South Dakota (Cretaceous) and SE Minnesota (Ordovician) as well. It was a large challenge to catalog and organize the samples, as they had been put into crates rather haphazardly, and moved from the basement of Pillsbury Hall to Tate Hall in the summer of 2017. With the help of an undergrad worker (thanks a million, Sarah!), we were able to identify all but two of the samples. From the limited paperwork left with the collection, I have found that approximately half of the collection is missing - likely the result of people taking parts of the collection and not returning them over the decades. Roughly half of the samples are from the Biwabik Fm., and the other half from the Gunflint Fm. Below: The R. Mohr Stromatolite Collection samples, organized and stored in the MAD EGG Lab sample alcove.
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Above: A cut slab displaying columnar stromatolites (approximately 1 to 2 cm in diameter) collected from Mary Ellen Mine (Biwabik Formation) near Biwabik, MN.
I am dedicated to making the samples available for any researcher to use.
I spent a lot of time to organize the samples so that they may be accessible for anyone interested in using them as part of their research. There are some original thin sections (though most have gone missing), and most of the original thin section billets are present. I have original map locations for nearly all of the samples collected. Samples range from small hand samples to very large samples. Most of the samples have been cut, and most of the larger stromatolite samples have been cut into multiple slabs. WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE SAMPLES FROM THE MOHR STROMATOLITE COLLECTION FOR YOUR OWN RESEARCH? I am happy to chat with you about what is available, and make samples available for viewing/sampling - just reach out to my email (jhavig@umn_dot_edu). But please remember this is an unpaid service (as this is entirely unfunded), so I ask that you have patience and flexibility for when I can make time. My only expectations are to be a part of any results, with access to all data generated, coauthorship and input on any publications generated from analysis of samples, and to have unused samples returned. to the collection. |