Ruggles Mine

Ruggles Mine is a historic granite pegmatite mine located on Isinglass Mountain in Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States, renowned as the nation's first commercial mica mine, established in 1805 by Boston investor Samuel Ruggles following earlier discoveries of mica in the area during the 1770s.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] Over its more than 150 years of active operation, the mine produced significant quantities of muscovite mica, feldspar, and beryl from a deposit containing over 30 mineral species, including quartz, tourmaline, apatite, and lithium-bearing minerals such as spodumene and triphylite, hosted within muscovite-sillimanite-staurolite schist near the contact with biotite gneiss.^[2]^[3] The pegmatite body, estimated to be approximately 304 million years old based on lead-uranium ratios, featured extensive workings over 800 feet long, with mica extraction beginning commercially in 1805 and feldspar mining commencing in 1912, continuing intermittently until around 1969.^[3]^[2] As New Hampshire's largest mica and feldspar producer, Ruggles Mine played a pivotal role in the early American mineral industry, supplying nearly all of the United States' mica needs before the Civil War for applications such as lantern panes, stove windows, and electrical insulators, while feldspar was used in products like Bon Ami scouring powder during the 20th century.^[1]^[5] The site's geological significance extends to notable discoveries, including uranium-bearing minerals and gummite specimens documented in 1936, contributing to early studies of radioactive minerals in the region dating back to 1844.^[2]^[3] Mining operations ceased in 1961 due to competition from cheaper foreign imports, after which the 235-acre property—much of it forested and adjacent to protected areas like Grafton Pond Reservation—reopened in 1963 as a public tourist attraction, allowing visitors to collect specimens of up to 150 minerals, including quartz, garnet, and aquamarine, until its closure in 2016.^[5]^[1] Following a period on the market, the mine was sold to new ownership in 2023 and reopened to the public on June 21, 2024, operating seasonally as of 2025.^[6]^[7] The mine's scarred landscape of pegmatitic arches and pits highlights its industrial legacy, and efforts to preserve it as a state park have been proposed by preservation groups.^[1]^[2]

Location and Description

Geographical Location

Ruggles Mine is situated in the town of Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States, at coordinates 43°35'26"N 71°59'27"W.^[2] The site occupies a 235-acre parcel atop Isinglass Mountain, an elevation rising to approximately 1,810 feet (551 meters) above sea level in the White Mountains region.^[8]^[7] Access to the mine is via a steep, meandering road off New Hampshire Route 4, near the Village Green in Grafton, leading to the address 286 Underhill Road, Grafton, NH 03240.^[9]^[10] The location places Ruggles Mine about 30 miles northwest of Concord and roughly 100 miles north of Boston, within a rural area characterized by forested hills and scenic vistas.^[10]^[11] Known locally as the "Mine in the Sky," the open-pit quarry sits on the southeast slope of Isinglass Mountain, offering panoramic views of the surrounding New Hampshire countryside upon ascent.^[9] The site's elevated position contributes to its appeal as a former mining operation now repurposed for tourism and rockhounding.^[11]

Physical Features

Ruggles Mine is an open-pit mica quarry situated on the southeast slope of Isinglass Mountain in Grafton, New Hampshire, characterized by a rugged, mountainous terrain that facilitates hiking and exploration. The primary excavation is a spacious open pit measuring approximately 368 feet in length, with varying widths of 153 feet at the northeast end, 113 feet at its narrowest waist, and 134 feet at the southwest end; the pit reaches a depth of up to 140 feet in places, exposing layered pegmatite formations.^[4] The site's topography slopes downward from northeast to southwest, with early mining workings concentrated at lower elevations and later operations higher up, where waste material was dumped into older cuts to create leveled areas such as the current parking lot and overlook.^[4] The mine features a network of underground tunnels and chambers, including the Northeast Entrance Tunnel, which was extended in the late 1950s to early 1960s from a blind drift and now connects directly to the parking area, and the Southwest Exit Tunnel, part of the 140-foot level known as Stope #2. These passages, some partially filled with water, branch off from the main pit and include stopes such as Stope #1—an open cut with a 25-foot-high room and raised stope that remains off-limits—and Stope #2, which expanded to over 400 feet in width by 1944. A notable stone arch structure spans between the tunnel exits, while remnants of a concrete mill building lie west of the main workings.^[4]^[12] Historically, the pit evolved through the merger of smaller excavations, including Pit A (initially 115 by 75 feet, expanded to engulf Pit B by 1941), Pit C (expanded from 37 by 36 feet to 53 by 71 feet), and Pit D (grown from 39 by 59 feet to 93 by 120 feet by 1944), forming the current large open cut. The overall layout, as mapped in 1938 by E.L. Shaub, includes 5-foot elevation contours and cross-sections revealing a complex pegmatite body up to 300 feet wide at higher elevations. Today, the site's physical features support recreational mineral collecting across loose gravel areas and newly exposed sections, with trails winding through the quarry's irregular contours and water features.^[4]^[9]

Geology

Geological Context

Ruggles Mine is situated in the Grafton pegmatite district of west-central New Hampshire, part of the broader New England pegmatite belt that extends across the region. The mine occupies the southeastern slope of Isinglass Mountain in Grafton, Grafton County, where it intrudes into metamorphic rocks of the Devonian Littleton Formation. This formation consists primarily of quartz-mica schist, sillimanite-mica schist, biotite gneiss, and amphibolite, with the pegmatite body located a short distance east of the hangingwall contact of the Devonian Bethlehem pluton. The surrounding geology reflects the Acadian orogeny, involving intense folding, faulting, and metamorphism during the Late Devonian, which predates pegmatite emplacement.^[13]^[14]^[3] The Ruggles pegmatite formed during the Carboniferous period, approximately 300 to 330 million years ago, as a late-stage magmatic intrusion associated with the crystallization of nearby granitic bodies such as the Concord granite or Bethlehem gneiss. These pegmatites are interpreted as fractionated melts derived from the partial melting of crustal rocks during post-orogenic magmatism, injecting discordantly into the foliation of the host schists and gneisses. The deposit belongs to the New Hampshire magma series, characterized by lithium- and beryllium-enriched compositions that facilitated the concentration of rare elements. Uranium-lead dating of uraninite crystals from the mine supports an age of around 302 to 329 million years, aligning with the broader timing of pegmatite formation in the region.^[13]^[3]^[15] Structurally, the Ruggles pegmatite manifests as an irregular, lens-shaped body that strikes approximately N. 35° E and plunges doubly to the northeast and southwest. It measures up to 1,640 feet along strike, with a maximum width of 335 feet and thickness of 160 feet, though exposures vary due to mining and erosion. The body exhibits classic zoning typical of granitic pegmatites: a fine-grained aplitic border zone (0.5–4 inches thick) of quartz, plagioclase, and muscovite transitions into a wall zone (1–7 feet thick) rich in plagioclase, perthite, quartz, and muscovite. Interior zones include mica-rich intermediate layers, a biotite-tourmaline-bearing zone, massive perthite feldspar cores up to 120 feet thick, and discontinuous quartz pods or cores. Replacement features, such as scrap-mica bodies and tourmalinized schist inclusions, indicate metasomatic interactions between the pegmatite and host rocks during emplacement. This zoning reflects sequential crystallization from the margins inward, with volatile-rich fluids driving differentiation and mineral segregation.^[13]^[14]^[3]

Mineralogy

The Ruggles Mine is situated within a complex, zoned pegmatite body of the lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) family, emplaced in the Devonian Littleton Formation schists near the contact with the Bethlehem Gneiss. This pegmatite, striking N. 35° E and reaching up to 1,640 feet in length and 335 feet in width, exhibits internal zoning that controls mineral distribution, with wall zones rich in muscovite and graphic intergrowths transitioning to core areas dominated by massive quartz and perthitic feldspar. Over 48 mineral species have been identified, reflecting fractional crystallization processes that concentrated rare elements like lithium, beryllium, niobium, tantalum, and uranium.^[2]^[14]^[3] The primary economic minerals include muscovite and feldspars. Muscovite, occurring as light yellowish-green books up to several inches across in sheet-mica zones, constitutes 50-75% of certain aggregates and was the chief product from 1803 onward, valued for its electrical insulating properties. Feldspars dominate the central zones: perthite (microcline-perthite intergrowths) forms massive lenses up to 450 feet long and 60 feet wide, mined for ceramics and abrasives like Bon Ami scouring powder; plagioclase (albite to oligoclase, An₀-An₅) appears platy as cleavelandite in border and replacement zones; and microcline occurs coarsely in quartz-rich cores. Quartz, gray to smoky in massive bodies up to 15 feet thick, often hosts these feldspars and serves as a gangue mineral. Beryl (Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈), green hexagonal crystals up to several inches, is a notable byproduct concentrated near pegmatite centers in quartz lenses, with minor production for beryllium extraction.^[3]^[14]^[2] Accessory and rare minerals highlight the pegmatite's geochemical evolution. Black schorl tourmaline (NaFe₃Al₆Si₆O₁₈(BO₃)₃(OH)₃(OH)) is abundant in biotite and wall zones, often forming radiating sprays. Phosphate minerals such as triphylite (LiFePO₄) and lithiophilite (LiMnPO₄) occur in lithium-enriched pockets with cleavelandite, while fluorapatite (Ca₅(PO₄)₃F) forms hexagonal crystals intergrown with micas. Uranium-bearing species, including uraninite (UO₂) and its alteration product gummite (a mixture of U oxides and hydrates), are localized in the No. 1 feldspar zone, with secondary phases like autunite (Ca(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂·10-12H₂O) and uranophane (Ca(UO₂)₂(SiO₃OH)₂·5H₂O) forming fluorescent crusts; these were prospected intermittently from the 1930s. Other gems and rarities include chrysoberyl (BeAl₂O₄), topaz (Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂), and zircon (ZrSiO₄), found in scattered crystals within quartz cores.^[2]^[3]^[14]

Mineral	Chemical Formula	Occurrence and Significance
Muscovite	KAl₂(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₂	Sheet-mica zones; primary economic mineral for insulation.^[3]
Perthite (Microcline)	K(AlSi₃O₈) with Na(AlSi₃O₈) lamellae	Core lenses; mined for feldspar in ceramics.^[14]
Beryl	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)	Quartz cores; byproduct for beryllium.^[3]
Uraninite	UO₂	No. 1 zone; source of uranium minerals.^[2]
Triphylite	LiFePO₄	Lithium pockets; indicates LCT fractionation.^[3]

History

Discovery and Early Mining

The Ruggles Mine, located on Isinglass Mountain in Grafton, New Hampshire, traces its origins to the early 19th century when mica deposits were identified in the area. Local historical accounts indicate that mica had been noted on the mountain as early as the 1770s, but systematic exploitation began with Samuel Ruggles, a Boston merchant, who purchased the initial property on Isinglass Hill and commenced mining in 1805, followed by additional acquisitions in 1806 and 1810 to expand operations.^[1]^[4] This marked the establishment of the first commercial mica mine in the United States, with early efforts focused on extracting sheet mica through rudimentary open-pit quarrying on the southeast slope of the mountain.^[10] Ruggles kept the find secret initially, mining small quantities and shipping the heat-resistant mineral to England for use in lanterns and stove windows, capitalizing on its insulating properties.^[16] The family-operated venture involved manual labor, using hand tools to pry apart the pegmatite veins where mica occurred in large, clear sheets suitable for industrial applications. By 1825, Ruggles advertised mica for sale in Boston publications, signaling the mine's growing commercial viability.^[10] Throughout the mid-19th century, the mine remained under family control, with Samuel's sons George and Charles joining the business; George acquired full ownership in 1834, and Samuel died in 1843.^[4] Operations expanded modestly, producing around 600–700 pounds of mica annually by 1840, valued at approximately $1,500, primarily for export and domestic use in household items like lamp chimneys.^[10] Techniques evolved to include basic underground stoping, such as Stope #1—a 25-foot-high chamber active in the 1880s—while surface transport relied on oxen until the late 1880s.^[4] After George's death in 1865, nephew Joseph D. Gould managed the site until 1879, followed by grandsons George H. and Charles L. Randall, who invested over $120,000 in equipment by 1890 to improve efficiency, though detailed records of early production remain scarce.^[4] Following the grandsons' management, the mine was abandoned around 1896 due to bankruptcy and changed hands multiple times, remaining largely idle until the early 20th century. By the 1890s, output had increased, with 26,000 pounds mined in 1869 alone, underscoring the mine's role in New Hampshire's dominance of U.S. mica production before the Civil War.^[10]

20th Century Operations

In the early 1900s, the Ruggles Mine saw continued family involvement, with Charles Ruggles Tainter, a great-grandson of the original discoverer Samuel Ruggles, serving as the last family member to actively work the site.^[4] In 1912, the American Mica Company worked the dumps for feldspar, while the English Mica Company began processing dumps for scrap mica recovery in 1929.^[4] Significant operations resumed in 1932 under the Whitehall Company, which initiated open-pit mining in November of that year, beginning with Stope #2 under the management of Philip King Brown.^[4] The focus shifted primarily to feldspar production, with No. 1 grade feldspar mined since 1935 for use in Bon Ami scouring powder manufacturing, alongside No. 2 grade for ceramics; considerable scrap and sheet mica were also extracted from replacement bodies and mica-rich shoots, particularly during World War II to meet demand for electrical insulation.^[14] In 1944, the site was briefly leased to the New Hampshire United Mining Company for limited feldspar extraction in Pit 32 during August and September.^[4] Exploratory efforts included four drill holes in 1940 and diamond drilling in 1946–1947 to assess reserves at the north and south ends.^[14] Whitehall's operations continued until 1957, after which its Ruggles division was renamed Bon Ami Mining Company in 1959, leading to the sale of the property to New England Industrial Properties that same year.^[4] In 1960, Arvid Wahlstrom acquired the mine for $20,000 and established the Ruggles Mining Company, though commercial activity waned as it was leased briefly to Golding-Keene Company for feldspar in 1961–1962, with the lease terminating early.^[4] By July 1962, large-scale commercial mining ceased entirely, marking the end of over a century of industrial extraction focused on mica, feldspar, and minor beryl.^[4]

Transition to Tourism

As commercial mining at Ruggles Mine became economically unviable in the early 1960s due to cheaper mineral imports from abroad, operations ceased in 1962.^[5]^[1] The site's prior extraction of feldspar, mica, and other minerals had supported local employment for decades, but global market shifts rendered domestic production less competitive.^[5] In 1960, Swedish immigrant Arvid Sven Wahlstrom purchased the 235-acre property for $20,000 from New England Industrial Properties, recognizing its potential beyond industrial use.^[4] Wahlstrom, along with his wife Geraldine as treasurer, incorporated Ruggles Mining Company, Inc., to pivot toward public access.^[4] The transition to tourism began in 1962 when the mine opened to visitors as a fee-based attraction, charging $1.10 for adults and $0.50 for children, allowing rockhounds and families to collect specimens from the open pit.^[4] By 1963, Wahlstrom had enhanced the site with an outdoor snack bar and gift shop to capitalize on the era's popularity of roadside attractions along Route 4.^[5] This shift was partly motivated by the mine's scenic location and rich mineral diversity, including over 150 varieties like quartz and aquamarine, which appealed to educational groups and international tourists.^[5] However, efforts to secure funding from the New Hampshire Industrial Park Authority for further development were rejected that year, relying instead on admission revenue.^[4] The attraction quickly gained popularity, drawing approximately 200 visitors daily during peak seasons and fostering a legacy as a family-oriented site for mineral collecting and geological education.^[5] Ownership evolved through personal changes, including Geraldine Wahlstrom receiving the property in a 1973 divorce settlement and later incorporating Ruggles Mine, Inc., with Robert Searles in 1984.^[4] A museum showcasing mine artifacts was eventually added, solidifying its role as a preserved historical and recreational venue rather than an active industrial operation.^[5]

Current Status

Closure and Reopening

Ruggles Mine ceased operations as a tourist attraction in 2016 after over five decades of public access, with speculation among locals that the site had been depleted of accessible minerals, particularly mica, though no official confirmation of resource exhaustion was provided.^[17] The closure left the 235-acre property dormant, prompting community efforts to preserve it, including a 2018 proposal by the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance to convert the mine into a state park to protect its historical and geological significance.^[1] However, state officials declined to purchase the site, leading to its sale in 2019 to Exciglow LLC, a New York-based company, for approximately $500,000.^[18] The new owners faced significant challenges, including the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after acquisition, which prevented any reopening and resulted in the property remaining shuttered for several more years.^[7] In July 2023, ahead of a planned foreclosure auction, the mine was acquired by New Hampshire residents Joseph Bodge and Eric LaRoche, both experienced in mining operations, who committed to reviving it as a public destination.^[6] The duo invested in extensive site preparation, including clearing overgrowth, removing accumulated trash, and repairing facilities such as the gift shop, to restore safe access for visitors.^[17] These efforts culminated in the mine's reopening to the public on June 21, 2024, marking the first visitor access in eight years and reestablishing it as a hands-on mineral collecting site.^[7] The 2024 season operated on a limited schedule—Fridays, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.—with entry fees of $30 per person (free for children under 10) and additional options for camping at $20 per campsite per night.^[17] By 2025, operations expanded to include new exposures of early 1900s mining areas and group events such as field trips for gem and mineral clubs, weddings, and corporate outings, signaling a sustainable return to tourism. The 2025 season operated Thursdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., concluding on October 12, 2025, with plans to reopen around Memorial Day weekend in 2026.^[9]

Visitor Activities and Facilities

Ruggles Mine provides visitors with opportunities to engage in hands-on geological exploration and outdoor recreation atop Isinglass Mountain in Grafton, New Hampshire. The primary activity is surface collecting of loose gems and minerals, where each paid admission permits participants to gather up to a 5-gallon bucket of specimens such as mica, quartz, and other crystals found scattered in the open-pit area.^[9] This non-invasive collecting appeals to rockhounds and families, emphasizing discovery without extensive excavation for the general public.^[19] Beyond mining, the site supports hiking along trails that offer panoramic views of the surrounding New Hampshire landscape, including red maples and white pines, as well as photography of the 40-foot-deep chasm and scenic hilltop vistas. Bicycle trail riding is also available, allowing visitors to explore the area's natural features more dynamically.^[11] For organized groups, including mineral clubs affiliated with the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies (EFMLS), school outings, and scouting trips, supervised field trips enable deeper engagement, such as using hand tools like hammers and chisels for digging under guided supervision and with required insurance.^[6]^[20] The mine additionally accommodates special events, such as weddings and corporate gatherings, leveraging the unique mountaintop setting.^[6] Facilities at Ruggles Mine are kept minimal to preserve its rustic character, featuring porta-potties for basic sanitation needs. Old-fashioned camping is a key offering, with tent sites and spots for self-contained RVs available atop the mountain at $20 per campsite per night; no electrical or water hookups are provided, and leashed pets are permitted provided owners clean up after them.^[9]^[19] The site operates seasonally, typically from late June through mid-October, with public hours on Thursdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as of the 2025 season.^[21] Admission for mining activities costs $30 per person, with children under 10 entering free, while camping fees apply separately.^[9] Safety and site preservation rules are strictly enforced to ensure a positive experience. Visitors must wear closed-toe shoes like sneakers or hiking boots—no flip-flops, open-toe sandals, or Crocs are allowed—and public collecting is limited to loose materials without hammers, chisels, power tools, or rock breaking.^[19] Fenced or gated off-limit areas must be respected, and the site is closed to trespassing outside operating hours.^[19] These guidelines, updated as of July 2024, help maintain the mine's integrity while prioritizing visitor safety.^[19]