Black Rock

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Lawrence County Zinc Mining District, Lawrence County, Arkansas, USA

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Key Information

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  • Black Rock, in northeastern Arkansas, USA, is a small town at the edge of the Ozark Mountains, known for its zinc and lead mines since 1857.

  • It features minerals like sphalerite, galena, and notably pink dolomite with calcite, appealing to crystal enthusiasts.

  • The area has a rich mining history, with modern quarries now focusing on sand, gravel, and limestone.

  • Local culture includes a past as a railroad boomtown, a pearling industry, and historical racial tensions, with a notable resident, Betty Clark Dickey, serving on the Arkansas Supreme Court.

  • The humid climate and fertile lands support mussel harvesting, tying to the local economy.

Geographic Location

Black Rock is located in Lawrence County, northeastern Arkansas, USA, at the edge of the Ozark Mountains, on the Black River. Its coordinates are 36º06’30″N 091º05’50″W, with an elevation of 302 feet and an area of 3.29 square miles, home to 590 residents in 2020. Nearby, Walnut Ridge (13.4km away) is a larger town, and the Lawrence County Zinc Mining District includes other notable mining sites like the Gibson and Hoppe Mines, making it a hub for mineral exploration.

Minerals and Geology

The area is renowned for zinc and lead, with minerals such as sphalerite (zinc sulfide), galena (lead sulfide), chalcopyrite, calcite, and the visually striking pink dolomite, often found with perched calcite crystals. These formed in fractured Smithville Limestone and Powell Dolomite, suggesting sedimentary rocks shaped by ancient hydrothermal activity. The black rocks, likely dark limestone or dolomite, give the town its dramatic name, adding to its allure for enthusiasts.

Mining and History

Mining began in 1857 with zinc mines like Gibson and Hoppe, using shafts and open cuts, and peaked with the Powhatan Zinc and Mining Company in the early 20th century. While it’s unclear if zinc mining continues, modern quarries like Ben Hogan (opened 1954) now extract sand, gravel, and limestone, reflecting a shift to construction materials, an unexpected evolution for mineral seekers.

Culture and Climate

Black Rock was a railroad boomtown in the 1880s, thriving with timber, button factories (last closed 1954), and a pearling industry, harvesting mussels from the Black River for cultured pearls shipped to China. It became a sundown town by 1920, reflecting historical racial tensions, yet produced Betty Clark Dickey, who served on the Arkansas Supreme Court. The humid subtropical climate, with fertile lands and the Black River, supports mussel harvesting, tying to the local economy and ecology.

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