Laurel Hill (Snake Hill; Penitentiary Quarry), Secaucus, Hudson Co., New Jersey, USA

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A 61 meter (203 feet) high pipe-like diabase intrusive, which is a vertical element of the underlying Palisades Sill. Mineralized shales and sandstones, intruded by the diabase, are visible in the north and southwest sections of the property. Minerals were found in veins in both the diabase and metamorphosed sediments. Quarrying took place from the late 1800s to the 1950s, when a section of the land was utilized as a prison (Penitentiary Quarry). In 1962 Hudson County finished closing their facilities on the site, which included the county prison and the insane asylum. The County entered into a 20 year contract with Callahan Industries to level much of the hill. In the 1960's and 70's Gallo Asphalt had 4 asphalt plants, side by side, adjacent to the quarry and supplied paving materials throughout the surrounding urban region. Production ended on schedule in 1982.

In the early 2000s, further blasting occurred along the New Jersey Turnpike. Most of the original 184 acre parcel is currently being utilized as a county park. (This site is also known as "Snake Hill.)".

Mineral List

Albite 'Allanite' Analcime Anatase Andradite 'Apatite' Apophyllite-(KF) Azurite Baryte Bornite Brochantite Calcite 'Chabazite' Chalcocite Chalcopyrite var: Blister Copper 'Chlorite Group'

Chrysocolla Clinochlore var: Diabantite Cobaltite Copper Cuprite Datolite Epidote Galena 'Gmelinite' Goethite Gypsum var: Selenite Gyrolite Hematite 'Heulandite' Ilmenite Laumontite 'Lévyne'

'Limonite' Magnetite Malachite Molybdenite 'Mountain Leather' Natrolite Offretite Orthoclase Pectolite Petersite-(Y) (TL) Phlogopite Prehnite Pseudomalachite Pyrite Pyrolusite Pyromorphite 'Pyroxene Group'

Pyrrhotite Quartz var: Agate var: Chalcedony Safflorite Sphalerite 'Stevensite' 'Stilbite' Stilbite-Ca Stilpnomelane Strontianite Talc ? Titanite Zircon

65 entries listed. 48 valid minerals. 1 type locality (valid mineral).

References