In Northwestern New Jersey sits an old mine that is hundreds of years old. Many probably have never heard of it, but Sterling Hill Mine, located at 30 Plant Street in Ogdensburg is now an unbelievable museum full of unique rocks. It was one of the world’s richest zinc ore deposits, mined continuously from the 1630s into the 1980s. The site is home to 35 unique minerals found only in this one place. It also has a high concentration of minerals that fluoresce, or glow under ultraviolet light, making it a beautiful and memorable spot to spend an afternoon. Read on to learn more about this gem of a museum.
The History of the Mine
The Sterling Hill Zinc Mine is more than 20% zinc and contains substantial amounts of iron and manganese. Over 365 different minerals have been found between this mine and the nearby Franklin Mine, making this region one of the top five most mineralogically complex places in the whole world. The zinc mined here is encased in “Franklin Marble” and dates back about 1.3 billion years. It is believed that this region was a shallow sea where unique geological events occurred to create this formation. Nowhere else on the planet has similar deposits.
Read More: A List of Historical Places to Visit in North Jersey
Early Dutch settlers began mining this area of Sussex County in the 1630s when they thought the place was rich in copper. However, when homesteaders attempted to smelt the rocks, they found that the deposits wouldn’t melt at the expected...
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