Trip Report to Siderite Concretion and Pyrite Nodule Location

Date: Sept 4, 2009

Location:

Septarian Minerals of the Huron River near Lamereaux Road Bridge, Monroeville, Ohio
Google Map: Lameraux Rd, 2-3 miles east of Monroeville, Ohio

An Excellent write- up of the location can be found here by Joe Vasichko.

Best collecting is associated with the shale cliffs on either side of the bridge. On the upstream side of the Huron River (from the bridge), shale cliff is only 200 yards from the bridge and parking. At the base of shale cliff, pyrite nodules can be found. Be careful, the cliff is unstable and digging into the cliff bank itself is not advisable, especially since the nodules can be readily found lying near the water edge. Pyrites and fossils can be found in the shale.

The shale cliffs on the downstream side of the bridge is a bit further away ~1/4 mile. While walking toward the far shale cliff, you can found a number of large 1 to 3 feet diameter concretions imbedded into the stream bed.

The water was very shallow (at most 2 feet deep.) There were a number potholes in the stream bed left by a missing concretion.

Inside some of the concretions, there can be found quartz (5 mm to 1 cm), dolomite, ferrion dolomite (dark brown) and siderite (very pale tan). Some calcite can also been found.

Location is very easy to get to and seems to a favorite spot of the locals.
It’s kid friendly with alot of river fun for everyone even if you’re not particularly interested in rocks. There were literally thousands of minnows and many of larger fish and lots and lots of crayfish! On my first visit, it is already my favorite spot in Ohio.