SPHALERITE

Location Found:

Franklin and Ogdensburg

Formula:

ZnS

Essential Elements:

Sulfur, Zinc

All Elements in Formula:

Sulfur, Zinc

IMA Status:

Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"

Fluorescent Mineral Properties

Shortwave UV light:

Orange, blue, orange-yellow, yellow-orange, green, lavender, and pink

Mid wave UV light:

Orange, blue, orange-yellow, yellow-orange, green, lavender, and pink

Longwave UV light:

Orange, blue, orange-yellow, yellow-orange, green, lavender, and pink, generally of moderate brightness

Additional Information:

Phosphoresces orange, blue, orange-yellow, yellow-orange, green, lavender, and pink. Generally fluoresces best at longwave

To find out more about this mineral at minDat's website, follow this link Sphalerite

References:

Dunn, Pete J. (1995). Franklin and Sterling Hill New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits. Franklin, NJ.: The Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. p.539

Frondel, Clifford (1972). The minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, a checklist. NY.: John Willey & Sons. p.77

The Picking Table References

	PT Issue and Page	Description / Comment
	V. 64, No. 2 - Fall 2023, pg. 27	The Camptonite Dike at Franklin–What Is It Really? Part Two, Mineralogy, David Vonderheide
View Issue	V. 62, No. 2 – Fall 2021, pg. 14	Green-fluorescing Sphalerite: A Franklin/Sterling Hill Rarity, Chris Luzier (Long article, a lot of pictures)
View Issue	V. 58, No. 1 - Spring 2017, pg. 17	Fluorescent Minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, N.J., Part 2, Richard C. Bostwick - Sphalerite
View Issue	V. 47, Combined Issue 2006, pg. 33	An Odd Little Sphalerite Tale Stephen Sanford
View Issue	V. 45, No. 1 - Spring 2004, pg. 14	The Art of Fluorescent Mineral Photography, With Special Attention to the Minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill Photographing the More Popular Franklin and Sterling Hill Fluorescent Minerals - Sphalerite
View Issue	V. 41, No. 1 - Spring 2000, pg. 14	A Scheelite-bearing Assemblage From Franklin, New Jersey By Robert E. Jenkins II - Sphalerite (Small Description)
View Issue	V. 35, No. 2 - Fall 1994, pg. 21	A Complex Base-Metal Assemblage From the Sterling Mine New Jersey - Sphalerite
View Issue	V. 33, No. 2 - Fall 1992, pg. 11	The Check List of Franklin-Sterling Hill Fluorescent Minerals - Sphalerite (Fluorescent Info)
View Issue	V. 31, No. 1 - Spring 1990, pg. 3	Breithauptite From The Nickel-Arsenide Assemblage at Franklin, New Jersey, Sphalerite (small description)
View Issue	V. 27 No. 2 - Fall 1986, pg. 9	Minerals of the Franklin Quarry, Philip P. Betancourt, Sphalerite
View Issue	V. 27, No. 1 - Spring 1986, pg. 3	Sphalerite at Franklin, N.J.
View Issue	V. 24 No. 2 - Fall 1983, pg. 18	Minerals of the Buckwheat Dolomite Franklin, New Jersey, Sphalerite (small description)
View Issue	V. 18, No. 2 - September 1977, pg. 18	The Fluorescent Minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, NJ by Richard C. Bostwick - Sphalerite
View Issue	V. 17, No. 2 - September 1976, pg. 3	The Fluorescent Corner - Golden Sphalerite (small article)
View Issue	V. 17, No. 1 - March 1976, pg. 6	Sterling Hill Minerals - Sphalerite
View Issue	V. 13, No. 2 - August 1972, pg. 13	The Fluorescent Minerals of Franklin/Ogdensburg Area by Frank Z. Edwards - Sphalerite (Fluorescent Info)
View Issue	V. 10, No. 1 - February 1969, pg. 12	Additional Mineral Notes - Sphalerite
View Issue	V. 7, No. 2 - August 1966, pg. 13	The Minerals of Sterling Hill 1962-65 by Frank Z. Edwards - Sphalerite

Images


Weathered sphalerite, calcite, and hydrozincite from Sterling Hill Mine.		Weathered sphalerite, calcite, and hydrozincite from Sterling Hill Mine, in longwave UV light the sphalerite fluoresces orange and blue.

Weathered sphalerite, calcite, and hydrozincite from Sterling Hill Mine, under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces orange, blue.


Sphalerite vein in willemite, calcite, franklinite ore from Sterling Hill, NJ. Photo by JVF.		Sphalerite vein in willemite, calcite, franklinite ore from Sterling Hill, NJ under longwave UV light. Sphalerite fluoresces orange, purple, blue and the willemite green, franklinite and this calcite is non-fluorescent. Photo by JVF.

Sphalerite vein in willemite, calcite, franklinite ore from Sterling Hill, NJ under shortwave UV light. Calcite fluoresces red and the willemite green, franklinite is non-fluorescent. Photo by JVF.


Sphalerite (beige to pinkish tan), willemite (dark red), franklinite (black) and chrysotile (dark brown) from Sterling Hill Mine, NJ. From the collection of J. Thomas Jacob. Photo by WP.		Sphalerite, willemite, franklinite and chrysotile from Sterling Hill Mine, NJ under longwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces golden orange and lavender (caused by phosphorescence), the franklinite, willemite and chrysotile are non-fluorescent. From the collection of J. Thomas Jacob. Photo by WP.

Sphalerite, willemite, franklinite and chrysotile from Sterling Hill Mine, NJ under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces dark orange and lavender (caused by phosphorescence) and the willemite green, the franklinite and chrysotile are non-fluorescent. From the collection of J. Thomas Jacob. Photo by WP.


Gray sphalerite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ. 2" x 1 1/2". Photo by WP.		Gray sphalerite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under longwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces light purple, blue and orange. 2" x 1 1/2". Photo by WP.

Gray sphalerite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces orange-yellow. 2" x 1 1/2". Photo by WP.


Mahogany sphalerite (red-brown) with sphalerite vein (yellow-green), willemite (light red), calcite, franklinite from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ. 4 1/4" x 2". Photo by WP.		Mahogany sphalerite with sphalerite vein, willemite, calcite, franklinite from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ under longwave UV light. The mahogany sphalerite fluoresces red-orange, sphalerite vein orange, willemite green, the franklinite and calcite are non-fluorescent. 4 1/4" x 2". Photo by WP.

Mahogany sphalerite with sphalerite vein, willemite, calcite, franklinite from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ under shortwave UV light. The mahogany sphalerite fluoresces weak red, willemite green, the sphalerite vein, franklinite and calcite are non-fluorescent. 4 1/4" x 2". Photo by WP.


Sphalerite (light gray to light straw, translucent), calcite (white), franklinite (black) from Franklin, NJ. 1 1 1/4" x 1". Photo by WP.		Sphalerite, calcite, franklinite from Franklin, NJ under longwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces blue, light purple, pink and peach, the calcite is not fluorescing and franklinite is non-fluorescent. 1 1/4" x 1". Photo by WP.

Sphalerite, calcite, franklinite from Franklin, NJ under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces orange, calcite red-orange and the franklinite is non-fluorescent. 1 1/4" x 1". Photo by WP.


Sphalerite (golden brown), willemite (red), franklinite (black) and minor calcite (white), from Franklin, NJ. 2 1/2" x 1 1/2". From the collection of, and photo by Robert A. Boymistruk.		Sphalerite, willemite, franklinite and minor calcite, from Franklin, NJ under longwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces orange and blue-violet, willemite green, the calcite is not fluorescing and franklinite is non-fluorescent. 2 1/2" x 1 1/2". From the collection of, and photo by Robert A. Boymistruk.

Sphalerite, willemite, franklinite and minor calcite, from Franklin, NJ under mid-wave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces orange-red and purple, willemite green, calcite light red and the franklinite is non-fluorescent. 2 1/2" x 1 1/2". From the collection of, and photo by Robert A. Boymistruk.		Sphalerite, willemite, franklinite and minor calcite, from Franklin, NJ under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces red, willemite green, calcite orange-red and the franklinite is non-fluorescent. 2 1/2" x 1 1/2". From the collection of, and photo by Robert A. Boymistruk.


Sphalerite (light green to clear), red willemite and franklinite from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ. 2 1/4" x 1 1/4". Photo by WP.		Sphalerite, red willemite and franklinite from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ under longwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces orange-pink to pink to lavender, willemite green and the franklinite is non-fluorescent. 2 1/4" x 1 1/4". Photo by WP.

Sphalerite, red willemite and franklinite from Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces weak red-orange, willemite green and the franklinite is non-fluorescent. 2 1/4" x 1 1/4". Photo by WP.


Sphalerite, microcline feldspar, minor willemite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ. 1 3/4" x 1 1/2". Photo by WP.		Sphalerite, microcline feldspar, minor willemite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under longwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces dark blue and light purple, microcline feldspar weak red, the willemite is not fluorescing. 1 3/4" x 1 1/2". Photo by WP.

Sphalerite, microcline feldspar, minor willemite from the Buckwheat dump Franklin, NJ under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces light purple and orange, microcline feldspar weak red and the willemite green. 1 3/4" x 1 1/2". Photo by WP.


Sphalerite variety cleiophane, willemite, calcite (pink), franklinite, and minor zincite from Franklin, NJ. 3 1/4" x 2 1/2". Photo by WP.		Sphalerite variety cleiophane, willemite, calcite, franklinite, and minor zincite from Franklin, NJ under longwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces light blue, willemite weak dark green, the calcite, zincite and franklinite are non-fluorescent. 3 1/4" x 2 1/2". Photo by WP.

Sphalerite variety cleiophane, willemite, calcite, franklinite, and minor zincite from Franklin, NJ under shortwave UV light. The sphalerite fluoresces blue, willemite green, the calcite, zincite and franklinite are non-fluorescent. 3 1/4" x 2 1/2". Photo by WP.