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Field CollectingMineral Hill, Pa

3rd Nov 2005 03:42 UTCPaul

I am trying to find directions to a place call Mineral Hill in Delaware County, PA. Anyone here know where it is?

Paul in Marietta

3rd Nov 2005 22:14 UTCDave

The only ref. I have on a Mineral Hill in PA. is north of Sykesville in Jefferson County. Reclaimed and active small quarries and strip mines.

4th Nov 2005 19:31 UTCJoe Dunleavy

Paul,

The mines at Mineral Hill have been reclaimed years ago and most of them are under the Mall and park lands there. There is some remnents left to those in the know but it lies on private property and the owners are not too forthcoming toward additional rock hounds collecting there. There are a few who have permission but no new people are allowed on the site. They were located in the area of Route #1 and Baltimore Pike in Delaware County, Pa.

Joe D.

3rd Mar 2006 21:19 UTCJ. Roger Mitchell

Paul,

Just for the record, there were never any mines on Mineral Hill nor were there any mines located under the local mall. The property has been sold and is currently under development plans. Collecting is not permitted. If there's anything you need to know about Mineral Hill, contact me directly.

4th Mar 2006 18:54 UTCJoe Dunleavy

Roger,

Yes, they were not mines per se but only pits (like those Glory Holes of western Gold fame). Most of the Corundum "Mined" from this location, for an example, was actually picked up from shallow pits, exposures and streams. It's sad to see such mineralogicaly rich areas going the way of development. Roger has spent more time on trying to get this area set aside then anyone I know and should be respected for his challenging work on this area. Sometimes we use the word "Mined" where it is inappropriate but easier to associate with mineral gathering.

Joe D.

9th Mar 2006 19:11 UTCDave Groncki

I have seen two references to a location called "Mineral Hill" in Elwyn. Both describe this location as being just west of Ridley Creek and bordered by Route 1 and the Media bypass. The references:

"Today, the area described as Mineral Hill . . . is a wooded area of 78 acres, roughly triangular in shape and bounded on the north by the Media bypass, on the south by US Route 1 (the Baltimore Pike) and on the east by the Ridley Creek."

- and -

"The Millennium Trail begins at the north end of the Memorial Park parking lot, located across from the Water Works at the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Elwyn Road. Before or after your hike be sure to spend a few moments at the observation deck over Ridley Creek. In summer you are likely to see red-winged blackbirds, mallard ducks and great blue herons in the slack water behind the water plant's dam. The trail follows the crest of an old berm that runs along the creek's floodplain before heading uphill through a beech and oak woodland to a high bluff. From there one gains a fine view of a wetland meadow across the creek in Upper Providence Township. The trail then descends to a small tributary coming off Mineral Hill (source of a number of rare minerals of interest to local geologists) before looping and returning to the parking lot. The approximate round-trip length is 1/2 mile."

Is the "Mineral Hill" area discussed different from this?

11th May 2006 14:35 UTCJBeckert

Is this not the same as "corundum hill"?

12th May 2006 14:40 UTCDave Groncki

Isn't corundum hill supposed to be somewhere in Unionville?

17th May 2006 02:38 UTCsusan

mineral hill exists in part. i have been there.access is on baltimore pike there is a small park where you can park

8th Jul 2006 18:01 UTCJeff Beckert

I visited the Millenium trail recently, there are still some cool things around there.

16th Jan 2007 19:39 UTCDan Green

I Know where mineral hill is feel free to e-mail me.

10th Nov 2010 14:14 UTCMia Painter

Delaware County just bought the tract of land known as Mineral Hill. Soon it'll be open for public access!

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20101110_Delco_buys_Mineral_Hill__adding_to_open_space_tract.html

10th Nov 2010 15:40 UTCGreg Kokolus

Mia:

That is great news.

Thanks for sharing.

We'll see how the county handles the issue of collecting.

11th Nov 2010 01:13 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

I was at the dedication ceremony this Tuesday, and there were lots of very happy, hard working people there! A number of groups of various interest were involved in saving this tract, most notably for us Roger Mitchell at the Delaware County Institute of Science, but also Natural Land Trust and assorted environmentally concerned groups and individuals.

I do have hopes that access to these deposits may some day be granted, perhaps the occasional pre-arranged group outing overseen by the Institute, but please by no means is anyone to take this as an open invitation to go rock hounding on this site and spoil it for those who worked so long and hard on this. It is designated as parkland, collecting is a forbidden activity and due to the degree of development in the area, it is also considered a sensitive/critical watershed. Permission to collect there will be sensitive issue, requiring a mutual understanding between the various concerned parties that it can occur without ill effect on the sites ecology nor watershed, an additional effort for another day. The best news is that Mineral Hill will still be there for future debate on the subject.

MRH

3rd Apr 2011 20:58 UTCDori

I was at the Mineral and Fossil Fair at Lu Lu Shriners today and would love to follow up with it by taking my Girl Scout troop to Mineral Hill. Would you tell me how to best get there and park, etc. We are in Rose Tree Media School District so this is nice and local for us. -Dori

4th Apr 2011 03:07 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

Dori,

As a fellow Girlscout leader myself, I'd be happy to help!

The entrance to the trail is off W Baltimore Pike, across from Elwyn Road. It is just a short gravel road leading to a gravel parking lot, with a large power line tower at near the center of the lot. There is a trail sign next to the head of the trail.

If you are that local, DO NOT miss a visit to the Delaware County Institute of Science (call ahead for hours). There you will find on display some really fine specimens recovered at this site and many other classic old localities. It is one of my absolute all time favorite little museums, very much in original condition and a little trip back in history!

MRH

PS: Did you know, Rose Tree is a classic old Amethyst locality!

http://www.mindat.org/photo-148428.html

7th Apr 2014 23:15 UTCAnon

Hey there Dan, it's Dan. I'm interested in going to Mineral Hill soon. If you have directions, that would be a huge help! Have you found anything worthwhile? Thank you, hope to hear from you soon

24th Apr 2014 02:22 UTCMary (2)

Mark,

Can I please check with you on the distance from the parking lot to the mineral hill. How far is it? Thank you

24th Apr 2014 04:18 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

Mary,

The trail head is right at the side of the parking area and the whole trail, Mineral Hill included, is not too large an area. Here is a Satellite image with scale and the trail map, to give you some idea of the hike. Even the youngest Daisy girl scout can handle this distance well enough. Do wear good shoes with a decent sole for hiking.

MRH

20th Dec 2014 14:51 UTCPaul Dourlet

Mineral Hill is on Highway One-the Baltimore Pike-west of Media,Pa..On the west side of Ridley Creek there is a small gravel parking lot.Turn in there and park.The trail goes close to the creek bank then turns left up to some bluffs. When you make the turn in to the parking lot from the west bound lane ( the easiest way) you will see transformers to the left of the parking lot. The trail goes way back and behind that..

3rd Apr 2017 00:40 UTCKIDDKarnelian KIDDK

I was just in Ridley creek park, de. For the day I collected what looks like green quartz. Pink quartz, something that resembles moonstone. I found under an over turned tree a little of stone with flecks of a ruby color minerial veined through it. I also found a blure purple material that is bubbles and agatey looking. I need to clean it up and take a closer look.

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