How is Pipestone (Catlinite) quarried in Pipestone?
True Pipestone is quarried in a sacred, traditional and respectful manner, using only hand tools. Proper ceremony is done prior to, during and after quarrying. Mother Earth is carefully moved to access the quartzite rock. This extremely hard rock is painstakingly removed layer by layer to expose the Pipestone deposit which can be as far down as 12 feet. The ancient Pipestone is then meticulously withdrawn layer by layer. The vein is usually 14 to 16 inches in depth but only half of the stone is usable. The center part is too fractured and often lacks the red color. The top and bottom sections are also layered, with the bottom layer being the prime source.
