Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

FOV ~ 1.0 x 1.5 cm. This is a stereo child photo. Updated with full res image Nov 2016

Another stereo close-up, showing one crystal with a clear "window' and several very encrusted ones.

This is a close-up stereo view of some of the less encrusted crystals.

This is a stereo view of some of the less encrusted crystals

Franklinite with highly fluorescent calcite and willemite. Franklinite crystals to 2.5 cm in size. 10 x 9 x 7 cm

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Via Bostwick. This very unusual specimen shows a surface with xl terminations (the pale brown botryoidal areas). The surrounding areas are cleavages showing the characteristic bronzy mcgovernite color. (Enclosing calcite was probably etched.) More than 2/3 of the specimen consists of mcgovernite. This specimen is (among others) ex ...

Franklinite crystals in marble, the largest is 35 mm. corner to corner, Franklin, New Jersey; specimen size 46 x 38 x 35 mm. Minor pink willemite at base. K. Nash specimen (No. 144) & image.

The xl is approximately 6 cm (front to back) by 5 cm (wide) by 4 cm (thick). In this orientation it looks ~ 6 cm wide by ~ 5 cm high. Found in 1992/3 on the Sterling Hill Mine Run Dump. This material was recovered from the mine after its closing by associates of the Sterling Hill Mining Museum. Based on the notes published by John Kolic and ...

A superb gemmy, cherry-red crystal of zincite that is 1.4 cm long and ends in an embedded termination. 3 x 2.5 x 0.6 cm.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

The world's largest Graeserite crystal and the one and only specimen of this species from the Franklin District (Ref.: Verbeek, E. et al (2006) Mineral News: 22(9): 8-9). The Crystal is black, lustrous, and tabular. It is 3.8 x 3.7 x 0.3 cm in size and is in a matrix of calcite, some of which is salmon-orange in colour. Associated species include ...

© Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Ogdensburg, NJ

A stark 4 cm franklinite just sitting in zincite, willemite, and calcite. 9 x 9 x 8 cm

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

The longest edge on the (black) franklinite xl is approx 3.3 cm. Found 1993 on the Sterling Hill Mine Run Dump. MOB coll. Updated Nov 2012 with full res (but somewhat compressed) image

Franklinite Octahedral Franklinite crystals to 18 mm. on an edge, on a matrix of massive Franklinite. These specimens were dissolved out of Calcite.

© Terry Burtzlaff

Hemimorphic crystals of zincite on spherical white aggregates of Mineral F with tiny hexagonal pyroaurite plates and minor fluorite.

© 2023 Bucket of Holes

Dark red-brown to bonzey-yellow radiating plates of mcgovernite on calcite, etc.

© Vandall King

Classic combination of franklinite and willemite crystals carefully worked out of the calcite matrix. The old term for this colored willemite was "troostite". Specimen is 11 cm by 10 cm.

Cut and polished nodule of Sussexite and Zincite. Specimen is from the collection of Richard Hauck (1974). Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.

© Rock Currier

Secondary zincite xl clusters to .4mm. JBS specimen and photo.

© 2004 Jason B. Smith

The golden/bronzy mcgovernite spans ~ 1.5 x 4 cm. Via Mrs. Palsulich. According to Dunn, this "splayed rosette" habit is a reliable way to distinguish mcgovernite from kraisslite. (Accroding to Chet Lemanski and others, kraisslite was found only in the "red ore". See for example [https://www.mindat.org/photo-201494.html].) The calcite on ...

FOV 1.0 x 0.8 mm. Thanks to Ralph Thomas. MOB coll. Clearly hemimorphic - but even clearer in stereo (child photo). In a tiny cavity in ordinary granular franklinite/willemite ore with little itty bitty hodgkinsonite xls. Updated with full res image Dec 2012.

Todorokite - close-up of bronze colored matted radiating crystals forming a 1 cm wide by 3 cm long vein within 4 x 2 cm black chalcophantite matrix. See additional photos.

© Christopher O'Neill

Franklinite & Willemite in some massive white calcite. Specimen is from the collection of Richard Hauck (1972). Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.

© Rock Currier

Black spherical clusters of chalcophanite on chalcophanite matrix.

© Van King

Doubly-terminated elongated rhombic light-gray mooreite crystals with white to pale-yellow fibrous sussexite crystals.

© Vandall King

FOV 7.0 x 4.7 mm. Ex Standfast (via Franklin Mineral Museum and John Cianciulli) MOB coll. These drab tan xls, freely growing in a cavity, give little hint of the brilliant pearly luster seen on cleavage surfaces. These crystals do NOT look at all silvery in any orientation. Nonetheless they are single xls. I have only seen (photos of) a few ...

FOV 2.9 x 2.4 mm. Via Massey (1993). Analyzed. The transparent orange-yellow iowaite is ~ 0.9 mm in diameter. It sits on calcite scalenohedra and is associated with hetaerolite [https://www.mindat.org/photo-1004713.html] on a matrix of dolomite colored dark maroon by hematite. Update Nov 2021: All of the above-mentioned minerals (except ...

FOV 3.7 x 2.5 mm. Via Nick Zipco (1993) This is a close-up of http://www.mindat.org/photo-164330.html - which see for various macro views . (Note: Because I gave these photos the same minID, they now all appear as child photos of this one.) Note: In my (limited) experience, the color of allactite at Sterling Hill is NOT purplish - or red, ...

nice aggregate of allactite fov 3mm

© Joy Desor

Field of view: 1.0mm Ex. R. Feigl collection

© Marko Burkhardt

Shown ~ 5 x 10 cm of a specimen ~ 5 x 13 x 10 cm. Via Mrs. Palsulich. Update April 2012 with a side view which actually shows the cherty nature of this type of sussexite. The color is also more accurate - dare I say attractive? Note: This is the color under "tungsten" lighting (or LED equivalent). In daylight, the color is more maroon. The ...

A sharp, equant, well-formed franklinite crystal perched nicely on matrix! Nice old classic! 5 x 4.8 x 3.5 cm

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

Aragonite. From the collection of Ewald Gerstmann 1972. Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.

© Rock Currier

Willemite and Calcite. Specimen is from the collection of Ewald Gerstmann (1972). Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.

© Rock Currier

Large, vitreous aragonite crystals to 4.5 cm from one of the Sterling Hill "mud zones". Overall dimensions are 8.5 x 13 cm. The crystals fluoresce and phosphoresce pale green (SW) or faint yellowish white (LW UV). Ex John E. MacDonald specimen, purchased from Jim's Gems, 1986.

© CR Carnein

Franklinite octahedral crystal exposed from Calcite matrix. Ex. Martin Zinn collection. Collection of Peter Giangrande, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Photo Jeff Krueger.

© Jeff Krueger

Cluster of transparent, prismatic brandite crystals with orange crystals of sarkinite in background. The matrix consits of black franklinite, green fluorescent willemite and orange massive sarkinite. From the 1980´s.

© Volker Betz (2016)

Platy mcgovernite crystals in a seam in calcite/franklinte/willemite matrix. From the Roy Epting, Jr. collection circa 1930s-1950s.

© 2022 Harold Moritz

Acute, bladed light-gray mooreite crystals with fibrous white to pale-yellow sussexite.

© Vandall King

Platy mcgovernite crystals in a seam in calcite/franklinte/willemite matrix. From the Roy Epting, Jr. collection circa 1930s-1950s.

© 2022 Harold Moritz

FOV 5.5 x 5.2 mm. Thanks to Ralph Thomas. MOB photo. This specimen self destructed a few years ago. This is an old (single focus) film shot. Updated Nov 2012 with a full res image. Stereo child photo.

FOV ~ 8 cm wide. Gift of John Cianciulli. This is a remarkable specimen - remarkably ugly that is. But if I were a mineral dealer I would point out the remarkably "rich patina" and the "cute" little spessartine garnets. The latter don't show up well in this photo because they are small and also coated. But they reach ~5+ mm on edge - see child ...

Large Gahnite crystal. TGMS Show Tucson 2008

© J.Ralph 2008

Tephroite - close-up of a single terminated crystal in a calcite and dark brown tephroite matrix. See additional photo and label.

© Christopher O'Neill

2.1 x 1.4 x 0.8 cm. For its size, this is one of the most elegant and sharp zincite specimens I have seen. The bright, translucent, cherry red crystal, 2.0 cm in length, is aesthetically perched on matrix. It has a clean repair midways and a trivial bit of termination wear. This rare specimen is obviously an old-time piece as very little has come ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

This is another piece of http://www.mindat.org/photo-164226.html that was cleaned up using dilute HCl. Not only did the alleghanyite (top, center) survive but, in addition, beautiful, very complex secondary franklinite xls (bottom left) were revealed. Note: the center-top xl may be a twin - apparently atypical for alleghanyite. See ...

FOV 1.2 x 1.5 mm. Thanks to Ralph Thomas. MOB coll. Small but fairly well formed xl. The child photo shows an apparently different habit from the same vug. Updated Dec 2012 with full res image. (But needs to be redone from scratch.)

Field of view: 2.4mm Ex. R. Feigl collection

© Marko Burkhardt

FOV 3.4 x 2.6 mm. Thanks to Ralph Thomas. MOB coll. A small “garden” of sharply formed willemite prisms. (To appreciate the depth of the “landscape” see the stereo child photo.) The willemite is, as expected, highly fluorescent and is associated with carbonate rhombs (calcite or dolomite – I didn’t check). Perhaps the oddest ...

Field of view: 2.5mm Ex. R. Feigl collection

© Marko Burkhardt

Harvard Museum of Natural History, no. 96204. The label is 7 cm across. P. Cristofono photo.

© 2007 Peter Cristofono

Lath like xls to ¾ mm. Via Fred Parker. MOB coll. This was aquired as a mooreite + pyrochroite specimen a few years before Dunn’s 1979 description of lawsonbauerite. Per Dunn, the “finger” like habit is typical. Updated Dec 2012 with a full res image. I re-processed from scratch in order to avoid the most objectionable blowouts etc. ...

The frothy little spheres reach 1.7 mm in diameter. (Bigger ones occur.) The fibrous "brooms" are chlorophoenicite; the tiny glassy needles are willemite. The bladed crystals are heavily twinned fluoborite (per XRD on another specimen by Dr. Travis Olds - thanks!) Found on the Sterling Hill Mine Run Dump 1993. Update Jan 2023 regarding the ...

Linarite - close-up of blue crystalline coating on an approx 2.5 x 2.5 calcite matrix and associated with malachite. Sterling Mine, Ogdensborg, NJ. See additional photos.

© Christopher O'Neill

The larger xl (with a franklinite inclusion) is ~ 2½ cm wide (measuring NW to SE on the front face). Found in 1993 on the Sterling Hill Mine Run Dump. MOB coll. The xl is actually ~ 3+ cm wide E to W but it is encrusted on one end by other xls. The xl peeking around the corner (bottom left) is also well formed and measures ~ 3 x 2½ x 1½ cm. ...

Pink, porcelaneous sussexite from the North Ore Body of the Sterling Mine. Specimen acquired in the 1980's from Mrs. Pausulich, one of Franklin's pre-eminent mineral dealers. Specimen measures 10cm in length.

FOV 6.7 x 4.4 mm. This specimen was obtained directly from a miner (as sarkinite). It was identified by Steve K, a very experienced Franklin/Ogdensburg collector. This is the best of several clusters covering an area roughly 1.0 x 1.5 cm - see one of the child photos. See also http://www.mindat.org/photo-319883.html and ...

FOV 2.3 x 3.3 mm. Via Fred Parker. Note: Originally posted as lawsonbauerite, but recent EDS and XRD analyses by Joy Desor show that torreyite is much more likely. Please read the original text and update notes carefully to avoid confusion. Original text: This specimen was obtained (as pyrochroite plus mooreite) prior to the description ...

FOV 3.4 x 2.5 mm. Via Massey. MOB coll. The “large” balls are aggregates of hemimorphic pyramids. Associated minerals include chlorophoenicite and hodgkinsonite but they don’t show up in the photo. Updated with full res image Dec 2012 (parent photo and one child photo only).

Octahedral gahnite crystals in calcite. From the East Ore Vein of the Passaic Pit.

© 2022 Harold Moritz

Nice crystal rosette of Hauckite Field of view: 2.0mm Ex. R. Feigl collection

© Marko Burkhardt

Calcite - mid-wave UV display of unusually bright blue calcite associated with wollastonite and small non-fluorescent blebs of black franklinite, a dark green mineral and a clear mineral. See additional short-wave and white light photos.

© Christopher O'Neill

FOV 2.5 x 3.8 mm. This is a stereo child photo. Closeup of some of the xls showing both diamond shaped and nearly rectangular tabular xls. Updated Nov 2012 with full res image.

FOV 2.1 x 2.1 mm. Fibers ca 0.9 mm. Originally posted as "aurichalcite", but it was identified avia EDS as rosasite, rather than aurichalcite, in June 2017. See the new child analysis 'photo". Rosasite has not been previously reported from the Passaic Pit. (Of course the boulder on which is was found could well have come from the Sterling ...

Sony Nex 7, bellows, Mitutoyo M Plan 20x, aperture, Raynox DCR-250 retro, Stack-Master linear actor, stack shot control. ID confirmed by Jason Smith. Collection and photo Stephan Wolfsried

© Stephan Wolfsried 1/2016

The largest xl is 1.7 cm on edge. Found in 1992/3 on the Sterling Hill Mine Run Dump. MOB coll. This material was recovered from the mine after its closing by associates of the Sterling Hill Mining Museum. Based on the notes published by John Kolic and Steve Sanford (Picking Table V 34 #2), the most likely sources is the 700' level, recovered ...

Fluorite - close-up of colorless 1 mm cubic crystals.

© Christopher O'Neill

Hemimorphite. Specimen is from the collection of Richard Hauck (1974). Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.

© Rock Currier

8.0 x 7.5 x 4.8 cm. This flowerlike cluster is a super example of Sterling Hill hemimorphite: a brilliantly lustrous, sparkling plate of stark white hemimorphite, from this classic and important locale. Probably one of the most sparkly, daylight-pretty Sterling Hill minerals you can get. Ex. George Elling Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Fluorite crystals 1cm diameter with octahedral form. They have a delicate light pink and green color zoning. These were found on the 1100' level often in association with zeolite species.

Gahnite. Specimen is from the collection of Harvard University (1972). Scale at bottom of image is an inch with a rule at one cm.

© Rock Currier

Graphite - platy radiating spheres to 1 cm and aggregates to 2 cm. John Cianciulli label.

© Christopher O'Neill

Specimen ~ 10 x 13 x 5 cm. This is the old parent photo - now a child. The colors were adjusted a bit but are still too saturated and too red/brown rather than pink/lilac. Updated Dec 2012 with a full res image.

Classic willemite crystals (green) and calcite (orange-red) fluorescing under SW UV light. Collected from the SHMM Mine Run Dump. Harold Moritz collection.

© 2022 Harold Moritz

Sony Alpha 7R ii, bellows, Mitutoyo M Plan 10x, aperture, Raynox DCR-250 retro, Stack-Master linear actor, stack shot control. Collection and photo: Stephan Wolfsried

© Stephan Wolfsried 11/2016

Orange colored friedelite crystals, seemingly tetrahedrals, actually monoclinic. Collection and photo of Gianfranco Ciccolini.