Cumberlandite

Colonial settlers recognized its value as ore during the 18th and 19th centuries. Historical records reveal that it was smelted as early as 1703, and it was used in forging cannons during significant events such as the Siege of Louisbourg in 1745 and possibly the American Revolutionary War.^[1]

Cumberlandite weathers to a brownish black with white crystals and has secondary chlorite and saussurite.^[5] It is predominantly found in glacial deposits stretching from south of its origin to the southern shores of Narragansett. Cumberlandite is denser than common granites or metamorphic rocks.^{[citation needed]} Its unique origin, distinct appearance, and ease of identification contributed to its selection as the Rhode Island state rock.

Cumberlandite is an uncommon mafic igneous rock known as a melanocratic troctolite, or by IUGS classification, titaniferous magnetite melatroctolite.^[1]

Bulk rock geochemistry shows the below analysis with trace Pb:

Troctolites are unusual olivine-rich pyroxene-poor gabbros common in layered mafic intrusions believed to have formed as cumulates in a magma chamber. Cumberlandite has light phenocrysts of labradorite in a dark, fine to medium-grained matrix of magnetite, ilmenite, olivine, and hercynite spinel. Magnetite and ilmenite cumulates are also common in layered intrusions and these minerals can account for up to 70 percent of the rock's volume contributing to the rock's high density and magnetism. The preferred orientation of the plagioclase crystals gives the rock a lamination.^[1]

In Rhode Island, the rock is part of the Esmond-Dedham Subterrane with an uncertain age ranging widely from Late Proterozoic to around the Devonian.^[5] He-Magnetite dating suggest an improbable age of 1.5Ga.^[4] Given its chemical composition and the presence of inclusions from a nearby gabbro, experts believe the rock is mid-Paleozoic.^[4][1]

42°0′17.5″N 71°27′13″W / 42.004861°N 71.45361°W / 42.004861; -71.45361