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Phoenixville Mining District, Schuylkill Township, Chester Co., Pennsylvania, USA

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A series of Lead silver mines Stradeling the borders of Schuylkill and Charlestown Township along Pickering Creek, aprox. 2 mi. S. S.W. of Phoenixville. Reportedly first discovered in the late 1600's, Mining in the district did not begin in earnest until around 1850. Mines include the Wheatley, Chester County, Brookdale, Charleston, Montgomery County, Phoenix and Napoleon Mines, including various named secondary workings, which were operated sporadically until 1920.

Note: sadly, many mineral specimens collected from this district, and especially those collected in the 19th century during the mines operation, have locality attributions listed as simply "phoenixville". Although the Wheatley mine was the most prolific of these mines, and likely produced the majority of specimens now in collections (Charles wheatley himself was an great mineral enthusiast, with a cabinet of over 6000 specimens from his mines), Other mine sites, especilally The Chester County Mine, were also quite prolific, and many specimens labled without specific mine site attibutions have since been inapropriately attributed to the more famous Wheatley mine. As such, most "Wheatley" specimens should be considered "district" specimens, unless otherwise noted as "definitively" eminating from the either the Wheatley mine (original 19th C. label) or it's old dump site (original 20th C. label).

Ref.:
- Sloto, R.A. (1989). "Famous mineral localities: The Phoenixville, Lead silver mines, Chester County, Pennsylvania." Mineralogical Record, 20(5),pp:369-386.




Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Group 1 - Elements
  		• Copper1.AA.05
    Cu
  		• Silver1.AA.05
    Ag
  		• Sulphur1.CC.05
    S
     
    8
    Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
  		• Bornite2.BA.15
    Cu
     
    5
    		FeS
     
    4
  		• Chalcocite2.BA.05
    Cu
     
    2
    		S
  		• Chalcopyrite2.CB.10a
    CuFeS
     
    2
      var: Auriferous Chalcopyrite2.CB.10a
    CuFeS
     
    2
  		• Covellite2.CA.05a
    CuS
  		• Galena2.CD.10
    PbS
      var: Argentiferous Galena2.CD.10
    PbS
  		• Gersdorffite2.EB.25
    NiAsS
  		• Pyrite2.EB.05a
    FeS
     
    2
  		• Sphalerite2.CB.05a
    (Zn,Fe
    2+
     
    		)S
    Group 3 - Halides
  		• Fluorite3.AB.25
    CaF
     
    2
  		• Mendipite3.DC.70
    Pb
     
    3
    		[O
     
    2
    		|Cl
     
    2
    		]
    Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
  		• Cuprite4.AA.10
    Cu
     
    2
    		O
  		• Goethite4.FD.10
    α-Fe
    3+
     
    		O(OH)
  		• Hematite4.CB.05
    Fe
     
    2
    		O
     
    3
  		• Quartz4.DA.05
    SiO
     
    2
    Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
  		• Ankerite ?5.AB.10
    Ca(Fe
    2+
     
    		 ,Mg,Mn
    2+
     
    		)(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
  		• Aragonite5.AB.15
    CaCO
     
    3
  		• Aurichalcite5.BA.15
    (Zn,Cu)
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
  		• Azurite5.BA.05
    Cu
     
    3
    		[OH|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
  		• Calcite5.AB.05
    CaCO
     
    3
  		• Cerussite5.AB.15
    PbCO
     
    3
  		• Dolomite5.AB.10
    CaMg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
      var: Ferroan Dolomite5.AB.10
    CaMg(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
  		• Hydrozincite5.BA.15
    Zn
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
  		• Malachite5.BA.10
    Cu
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
  		• Smithsonite5.AB.05
    ZnCO
     
    3
    Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
  		• Anglesite7.AD.35
    PbSO
     
    4
  		• Baryte7.AD.35
    BaSO
     
    4
  		• Brochantite7.BB.25
    Cu
     
    4
    		[(OH)
     
    6
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
  		• Chalcanthite7.CB.20
    CuSO
     
    4
    		·5H
     
    2
    		O
  		• Linarite7.BC.65
    PbCu[(OH)
     
    2
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
  		• Wulfenite7.GA.05
    Pb[MoO
     
    4
    		]
    Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
  		• Descloizite8.BH.40
    Pb(Zn,Cu)[OH|VO
     
    4
    		]
  		• Erythrite8.CE.40
    Co
     
    3
    		(AsO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·8H
     
    2
    		O
  		• Mimetite8.BN.05
    Pb
     
    5
    		[Cl|(AsO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
  		• Mottramite8.BH.40
    Pb(Cu,Zn)[OH|VO
     
    4
    		]
  		• Pseudomalachite8.BD.05
    Cu
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
  		• Pyromorphite8.BN.05
    Pb
     
    5
    		[Cl|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
  		• Vanadinite8.BN.05
    Pb
     
    5
    		[Cl|(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
    Group 9 - Silicates
  		• Chrysocolla9.ED.20
    (Cu,Al)
     
    2
    		H
     
    2
    		Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		(OH)
     
    4
    		·nH
     
    2
    		O
  		• Enstatite9.DA.05
    Mg
     
    2
    		[SiO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
  		• Hemimorphite9.BD.10
    Zn
     
    4
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		] · H
     
    2
    		O
  		• Microcline9.FA.30
    K[AlSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    8
    		]
  		• Orthoclase9.FA.30
    K[AlSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    8
    		]
  		• Palygorskite9.EE.20
    (Mg,Al)
     
    5
    		(Si,Al)
     
    8
    		O
     
    20
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		·8H
     
    2
    		O
    Group 10 - Organic Compounds
  		• Wheatleyite (TL)10.AB.30
    Na
     
    2
    		Cu[C
     
    2
    		O
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 2H
     
    2
    		O
    Unclassified Minerals
  		• 'Chlorite Group'-
  		• Limonite-
    FeO(OH)·nH
     
    2
    		O


    52 entries listed. 50 valid minerals.

    Localities in this Region:
    USA
     
    • Pennsylvania
      • Chester Co.
        • Schuylkill Township
          • Phoenixville mining District

    The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database!
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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Jobs in Pennsylvania, USA Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 26th Oct 2009 17:25:07