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Abstract
The two
Zinc-Manganese-Iron ore deposits at Franklin and Sterling
Hill, New Jersey are widely considered the premier localities
on earth for fluorescent minerals. What makes them such
a mecca for minerals which emit light under ultraviolet
radiation? This talk will explore the history, geology,
mineralogy and present-day collecting opportunities
at these fascinating localities, and also explain the
physics behind mineral fluorescence in general. Mining
at Franklin and Sterling Hill dates back nearly 400
years and the rich history of miners, geologists, and
collectors is part of what makes the district so interesting.
While mining for zinc and other metals ceased in 1986,
two world-class mining and mineral museums now fill
the space left by the closure of the mines themselves,
and a local mineral club in addition to two annual mineral
shows help sustain the vibrant mineral collecting culture
which has surrounded the district for many years. The
geology of the deposits themselves is enigmatic as well
and is still being unraveled. Believed to have originally
formed at seafloor hydrothermal vent sulfide ore deposits
(also known as volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits)
over 1 billion years ago, the ore deposits at Franklin
and Sterling Hill then underwent regional metamorphism
around 980 Ma which converted surrounding limestone
into marble and led to the explosion in rare and unique
mineral species which comprise the deposits today. At
present over 350 different mineral species are known
from the district, making it one of the world's 'mineralogical
rainforests.'
Speaker Bio
Phil Persson
is a geologist, mineral dealer, and collector living
on the west side of Denver, Colorado. His passion for
geology and mineral collecting began as a child living
near the "fluorescent mineral capital of the world",
Franklin New Jersey, and eventually led to a BA in geology
from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2012 and
an MSc. in economic geology with a focus on geochemistry
and petrology at the Colorado School of Mines in 2017.
He has been a co-author and collaborator on numerous
scientific papers, abstracts and magazine articles on
mineralogy and geology, with a focus on rare earth element
minerals and pegmatites of Colorado. He enjoys public
speaking and has given dozens of talks for mineral clubs
and events, as well as helped organize several scientific
symposia in Colorado. He has been involved in the mineral
dealing and collecting community for close to 20 years
and is currently employed full-time as a mineral dealer
in the Denver, Colorado area.
Phil Persson
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