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Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USAi
Regional Level Types
Centralia- not defined -
Columbia CountyCounty
PennsylvaniaState
USACountry

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PhotosMapsSearch
08614040014947297291754.jpg
Chimney

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
05940600014946754314573.jpg
Ashland

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
07248820014946754217239.jpg
Rock Dump

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
08614040014947297291754.jpg
Chimney

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
05940600014946754314573.jpg
Ashland

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
07248820014946754217239.jpg
Rock Dump

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
09101040014947297362162.jpg
Chimney

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
05940600014946754314573.jpg
Ashland

Centralia, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
40° 48' 15'' North , 76° 20' 26'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
40.80417,-76.34083
GeoHash:
G#: dr38nu4m3
GRN:
N28W42
KΓΆppen climate type:
Dfa : Hot-summer humid continental climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Aristes311 (2017)1.6km
Ashland2,734 (2017)2.5km
Fountain Springs278 (2017)3.9km
Locustdale177 (2017)4.2km
Wilburton Number One196 (2017)4.3km
Mindat Locality ID:
5815
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:5815:8
GUID (UUID V4):
400383ef-13ee-4e9c-bae7-564265cd2b6c


Location of a burning anthracite coal mine along Pennsylvania route 61 in Columbia County. The largest underground coal fire in the US.

The fire originated in a trash dump in a strip mine near Odd Fellows Cemetery in 1962. Mistakenly believed to have been extinguished that same year, the fire was allowed to continue burning. The fires expanded into the chain of underground mine shafts and by 1981 was causing subsidence within the town's borders. In 1983 a Government buy-out of properties relocated residents, reducing the population of Centralia from its highest number of 1,100 to a mere 46 residents by 1984.

In 1994 PA route 54/61 had to be closed and rerouted via Byrnsville Road, due to buckling of the pavement surface caused by the heat produced by the burning coal mine underneath. Mineralogy typical of that produced by burning coal. The various vents for the gases, both artificial and natural, are encrusted with sulphurous minerals.

The town was "used" in the idea of the series of horror movies known as "Silent Hill".

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


12 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

β“˜ Alunogen
Formula: Al2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
β“˜ Apjohnite
Formula: Mn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Description: These deposits occur at sites where gasses vent from the underground fire. Fumarolic.
β“˜ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
References:
Dan Costian
β“˜ Cryptohalite
Formula: (NH4)2[SiF6]
β“˜ Hydrobasaluminite
Formula: Al4(SO4)(OH)10 · 12-36H2O
β“˜ Kaolinite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
β“˜ Mascagnite
Formula: (NH4)2SO4
β“˜ Pyrophyllite
Formula: Al2Si4O10(OH)2
β“˜ Salammoniac
Formula: NH4Cl
β“˜ Sulphur
Formula: S8
Description: Fumarolic deposit at various places where the toxic gasses from a massive underground coal fire escape to the surface.
β“˜ Tschermigite
Formula: (NH4)Al(SO4)2 · 12H2O
Description: Fumarolic deposits at sites where gasses vent from the underground fire.
β“˜ Voltaite
Formula: K2Fe2+5Fe3+3Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
β“˜Sulphur1.CC.05S8
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
β“˜Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
Group 3 - Halides
β“˜Salammoniac3.AA.25NH4Cl
β“˜Cryptohalite3.CH.15(NH4)2[SiF6]
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
β“˜Mascagnite7.AD.05(NH4)2SO4
β“˜Alunogen7.CB.45Al2(SO4)3 Β· 17H2O
β“˜Apjohnite7.CB.85Mn2+Al2(SO4)4 Β· 22H2O
β“˜Tschermigite7.CC.20(NH4)Al(SO4)2 Β· 12H2O
β“˜Voltaite7.CC.25K2Fe2+5Fe3+3Al(SO4)12 Β· 18H2O
β“˜Hydrobasaluminite7.DE.60Al4(SO4)(OH)10 Β· 12-36H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
β“˜Pyrophyllite9.EC.10Al2Si4O10(OH)2
β“˜Kaolinite9.ED.05Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hβ“˜ Tschermigite(NH4)Al(SO4)2 · 12H2O
Hβ“˜ ApjohniteMn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Hβ“˜ SalammoniacNH4Cl
Hβ“˜ Cryptohalite(NH4)2[SiF6]
Hβ“˜ Mascagnite(NH4)2SO4
Hβ“˜ HydrobasaluminiteAl4(SO4)(OH)10 · 12-36H2O
Hβ“˜ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
Hβ“˜ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Hβ“˜ PyrophylliteAl2Si4O10(OH)2
Hβ“˜ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
NNitrogen
Nβ“˜ Tschermigite(NH4)Al(SO4)2 · 12H2O
Nβ“˜ SalammoniacNH4Cl
Nβ“˜ Cryptohalite(NH4)2[SiF6]
Nβ“˜ Mascagnite(NH4)2SO4
OOxygen
Oβ“˜ Tschermigite(NH4)Al(SO4)2 · 12H2O
Oβ“˜ ApjohniteMn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Oβ“˜ Mascagnite(NH4)2SO4
Oβ“˜ HydrobasaluminiteAl4(SO4)(OH)10 · 12-36H2O
Oβ“˜ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
Oβ“˜ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Oβ“˜ PyrophylliteAl2Si4O10(OH)2
Oβ“˜ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
FFluorine
Fβ“˜ Cryptohalite(NH4)2[SiF6]
AlAluminium
Alβ“˜ Tschermigite(NH4)Al(SO4)2 · 12H2O
Alβ“˜ ApjohniteMn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Alβ“˜ HydrobasaluminiteAl4(SO4)(OH)10 · 12-36H2O
Alβ“˜ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
Alβ“˜ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Alβ“˜ PyrophylliteAl2Si4O10(OH)2
Alβ“˜ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
SiSilicon
Siβ“˜ Cryptohalite(NH4)2[SiF6]
Siβ“˜ PyrophylliteAl2Si4O10(OH)2
Siβ“˜ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
SSulfur
Sβ“˜ Tschermigite(NH4)Al(SO4)2 · 12H2O
Sβ“˜ ApjohniteMn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Sβ“˜ SulphurS8
Sβ“˜ Mascagnite(NH4)2SO4
Sβ“˜ HydrobasaluminiteAl4(SO4)(OH)10 · 12-36H2O
Sβ“˜ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
Sβ“˜ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Sβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
ClChlorine
Clβ“˜ SalammoniacNH4Cl
KPotassium
Kβ“˜ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
MnManganese
Mnβ“˜ ApjohniteMn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
FeIron
Feβ“˜ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
Feβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
CuCopper
Cuβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North America PlateTectonic Plate

This page 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. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Martinez-Parrish, Amy, D. Ressler, J. Kitsko, Pennsylvania Highways - Centralia, Susquehanna University Department of Geological Sciences, Department of Earth & Environmental Science.
(n.d.)
Livingood, M., Winicaties, J., Stein, J. (1999) Centralia Mine Fire Analysis: Presence of Sulfur-bearing Mineral Deposits at Thermal Vents, Centralia Coal Fire Analysis: Presence of Sulfur-bearing Mineral Deposits, ESL 201 – paper for Fundamental Techniques in Geology, Dr. C. Gil Wiswall, West Chester University, December 15, 1999, 9 pages.
www.shulersnet.com (1999) http://www.shulersnet.com/coalcracker/fire.htm
Stracher, G.B. (2007) Gas Vent Mineralogy of Coal Fires Burning Around the World, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 39:2, 81.
Elick, J.M. (2013) The effect of abundant precipitation on coal fire subsidence and its implications in Centralia, Pennsylvania. International Journal of Coal Geology, 105, 110–119.
Elick, J. (2015) The Science conducted on the coal fire in Centralia, PA. In: Guidebook for the 80th Annual Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists: Conglomerate, Coal, and Calamities, 89-111.
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