PREHISTORIC SELENITE AND SATINSPAR MINING IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE SYSTEM, KENTUCKY

Previous investigation of prehistoric activity in Mammoth Cave and Salts Cave (Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky) led to conclusions about mining of cave minerals that require amplification and modification in light of more recent studies. Aboriginal miners systematically sought not only mirabilite and gypsum crusts that occur on cave walls, but also were digging for two "fancy" varieties of gypsum crystals, selenite and satinspar, that occur in cave sediments. The mines and mining techniques are described. Ethnographic uses of crystals suggest possible reasons for the prehistoric exploitation of these minerals.