Myriad small crystals of pale gray diopside, pale brown phlogopite, and subordinate violet fluorite, the whole dissolved from the host calcite. The Franklin Marble in places was so silica-rich that calcite was a subordinate component of the rock and could be dissolved in acid to produce a skeletal framework of other minerals, as exemplified here. This peculiar specimen was obtained by Gary Grenier in July 1990 from Al Bliss and entered the Grenier collection as specimen GG2524. It later became part of the Steven Phillips collection.
Identifier: DPS16a Locality: Franklin Marble, Sussex County Specimen size: 8 x 6.5 x 5 cm Photo credit: Earl R. Verbeek
