FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Andrew Sicree]

I need some suggestions for field sites and/or mineral collecting locations
within driving distance of New York City.

If you were to lead a one-week long trip, the aim of which was to expose
some relative newcomers to minerals and some interesting geological sites and
to give them some opportunities to collect some minerals, rocks, or fossils, what
locations would you suggest?

I know that the Franklin/Sterling Hill mines are an obvious stop - so I already
have them on the list, along with some other sites. But I'm really interested in
what other sites you might know.

Any suggested site should roughly meet these criteria:

(1) It should be accessible, either open to the public, or a fee-to-dig site (in the
case of a mine or quarry, a place that you can visit with permission - can you provide
the contact person's name, email/phone?).

(2) It should be in the Northeast, generally NY, NJ, New England, PA, MD, VA.

(3) It should have something of interest - something that is not too scientifically esoteric.
For instance, it could be an interesting road cut (even if there is nothing to collect
at the site). Or it could be an overlook, a streambank, a cliff, some glacial
erratics, a trap rock outcrop, etc. Caves (easily accessible or commercial)
are also a possibility.

(4) It could be a good site to collect a particular mineral (garnets, for example).
Or an interesting rock (gneiss or mica schist). Or it could be a fossil collecting site.

Any suggestion that you might have could be forwarded to me at:

Andrew A. Sicree,
P. O. Box 10664,
State College, PA 16805
(eight-one-four-eight-six-seven-six-two-six-three)
sicree(@)verizon(.)net


Thanks mucho,

Andy

Andrew A. Sicree, Ph.D.
Professional Mineralogist/Geochemist

[gemlover]

Delaware County PA -- Garnets (route 322 near Chester, Garnet Valley HS)
Chester County PA -- Serpentine Barrens (Nottingham Park, Oxford); Chrome Mines; Pegmatite (Embreeville, PA); Iron Mines, Hopewell, PA
Lebanon County PA -- many mines, Annville area

Many more places in SE Pennsyklvania, but it has been 50 years since I was there.

Gore Mountain area (garnets) in the Adirondack Mts., NY

John

[Gary Moldovany]

You should check out the Montague Quartz locality in Montague, NJ. There is a very rich deposit of quartz crystals there, easily accessible and on public land. More information can be found about this site in Mindat. PM me if you need directions.