Franklinite with Zincite Willemite and Calcite

Unknown Owner

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The Franklin-Stirling Hill orebody is one of the most diversely mineralized deposits on Earth containing over 300 different species. This lovely miniature is a great example of the rich ore and is composed of mixed granular black Franklinite, vermillion-red Zincite, greenish-beige Willemite and white Calcite, the latter occurring more as a sparse yet pervasive matrix. Although none of the ore minerals are euhedral (i.e. developed into crystals) some of the Franklinite and Willemite is semi-rounded, displaying first-stage subhedral development. When viewed under both LW and SW ultraviolet, the specimen remains coal black (non-fluorescing) save for the few patches of Calcite which glow bright red. A fine, large miniature example from Franklin Furnace, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA and accompanied by a nice late 19th century handwritten label from "K. k. Naturh Hofmus, Mineral.-Petr. Abth." which erroneously refers to Zincite as "Zinkenit".