I was out for a stroll in Cumberland RI to grab some Cumberlandite for the sister and friend. Cumberlandite is a rare igneous rock made up of a high concentration of iron and titanium, making it magnetic.
Named the official state rock back in 1966, its primary home is a small 4-acre deposit at Iron Mine Hill.
The color is a dark brown to solid black with white or greenich speckles.
Because of its color and it being slightly magnetic some believed it was actually from a meteorite.
The local indigenous tribes, revered the stones as sacred and used it to fashion tools.
Back during the Revolutionary War the settlers attempted to cast cannonballs from it but the metal composition proved too weak and the cannons infamously cracked or exploded. Often called the cannonball debacle!
At one time it was used to create the Iron Mine Railroad, which operated for less than ten years to transport the mined Cumberlandite.
Sasysquatchgirl 