Wonderful old time piece consisting of a cluster of blocky pink opaque crystals of rhodonite to 3.0 cm in size, these hosting black crude crystals of franklinite measuring to 1.5 cm in size. In good condition, the specimen comes with several antique labels and dates to the late 19th century.
The Franklin Marble, located in Sussex County, New Jersey, is a world-renowned Precambrian metamorphic formation celebrated for its unique geological history and extraordinary mineral diversity. Formed over one billion years ago through high-grade metamorphism of ancient limestone and metal-rich sediments, the complex stratigraphy birthed rich veins of zinc, manganese, and iron minerals. Industrial mining operations began in the mid-nineteenth century and continued for over a century, establishing Franklin as a vital zinc producer for American industry. Beyond its commercial legacy, Franklin is famously designated as the Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World, attracting generations of scientists and field collectors drawn to its hundreds of distinct mineral species, many of which exhibit brilliant fluorescent colors under shortwave ultraviolet light.
Comments