Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Franklin Mining District, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA

ANY RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THIS FILE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO CHET LEMANSKI VIA THE MESSAGE BOARD. The Sterling Mine (NOT the Sterling Hill Mine) is the consolidated property of the Sterling Hill orebody, formerly owned by the New Jersey Zinc Co. Although the mine openings are on Sterling Hill, the mine migrates off of the hill as it deepens. The mine achieved a depth of about 2,670 feet at the sump of the North orebody wintz, under the center of the Wallkill River Valley. This deposit consists of a folded orebody. The main orebody is folded into the East vein, East leg of the West vein, & the West leg of the West vein. The transverse vein is comprised of a "red" ore component and a "black" ore component. The black ore contains significant arsenic in the form of löllingite which may have weathered to produce the numerous secondary arsenates. The North orebody extends down from the 1850 foot level to a point about 2,550 feet and is comprised of "red" ore containing locally abundant sussexite and sphalerite.

This locality is within the Franklin Mining District. The complete list of mineral species occurring within this district, as well as the official boundaries of the district, can be found under the locality file for "Franklin Mining District." Those who share an interest in the unique mineralogy of the Franklin, NJ, area owe a special debt of thanks to the late Professor Charles Palache, Harvard University; Dr. Pete J. Dunn, Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; and John L. Baum, Curator Emeritus, Franklin Mineral Museum, and former Head Geologist, New Jersey, Zinc Co., Franklin, NJ, for their significant contributions to the body of knowledge of the history, geology and mineralogy of this district.

References:
NOTE: A comprehensive bibliography of the publications relevant to the Franklin District is found in Dunn,P.J.(1995): Part 1.


Key bibliographical publications for the Franklin District include, but are not limited to:

- Bayley, W.S. (1910): Iron mines and mining in New Jersey, Geological Survey of New Jersey, Volume VII of the Final Report Series of the State Geologist, Trenton, NJ 512pp. and 2 maps (out of print) [cited as: Bayley, W.S.(1910): XX]
- Dunn, P.J. (1995): Franklin and Sterling Hill New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits, 5 parts + 2 supplements, 978 pp. (in print) [cited as: Dunn, P.J.:Pt X:XX]
- Palache, C. (1935): The Minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, Sussex County, New Jersey, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 180, 135pp., with map (reprinted in 1937, 1961 and 1974) (out of print) [cited as: Palache, C. (1935): XX]
- Proceedings Volume: Lehigh University Department of Geological Scienes and the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society Symposium on Character and Origin of the Franklin-Sterling Hill orebodies (1990), Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 118pp. (out of print)
- The Picking Table, Journal of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (F.O.M.S.), volumes 1 through 42 (in print)

- Parker, F.J. and Troy, J. (1982): "Arsenate minerals of the Sterling Hill Mine: an overview." Mineralogical Record, 13(1): 35-38.
- Econ. Geol. (1990) 85: 1133-1161
- Glas, M. (1994): Am steinernen Regenbogen: Das Besucherbergwerk 'Sterling Hill Mine' bei Ogdensburg, New Jersey. Lapis, 19(2), 34-35 (in German).
- Jenkins II, R.E. & Misiur, S.C. (1994): A Complex Base-Metal Assemblage from the Sterling Mine, New Jersey. The Mineral. Record, 25 (2), 95-104.
- Bostwick, R. (1996): Fluorescent Minerals of Sterling Hill: 1989-1995. Rocks & Minerals, 71 (1), 24-32.