Night Collecting at Phil Crabb's Property

Date:

Location: 32 Evans St., Franklin, NJ 07416

Join us for a unique afternoon into night collecting trip at a private residence in Franklin, NJ, featuring an exceptional near-surface zinc orebody contact within Franklin Marble and dolomitic rock. This site offers a rare opportunity to collect both fluorescent and daylight minerals in one of the most historically significant mineral localities in the world.

What to Bring

• Water and snacks
• Rock hammer, chisels, sledgehammer
• Shovel and/or pry bar
• Buckets and newspaper (for wrapping specimens)
• UV lamps (LW / SW / MW) for fluorescent collecting
• Bug spray

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Safety Requirements

• Hard hat required: No
• Mandatory safety gear:
  • Safety glasses
  • Sturdy footwear
  • Gloves

All participants must sign a Hold Harmless Agreement prior to collecting.

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Additional Notes

• Carpooling from the museum is encouraged
• This is a private property—please follow all instructions from the property owner
• We must vacate the site promptly at the designated end time

Fee: $25/person

Tools: Shovel, Pick, Sledgehammer, Chisels, Bucket

Post Event Write-Up:

Attendees:  Groundhog Dave Shapiro, Dave "Lermanator" Lerman, Pat Wolf, Brittany Smith, Brianna Wagner, Amira Omar, Dan Martinho, Michael Biehl, Laura Keeley, Jen Vance-Paxhia, Matt Lukaitis, Jesse Sunderland and Janice Ketchuk; Alex Bondarenko. Erik and Emory Jensen.

 

Once again we had another very enjoyable outing to the Might North Orebody aka the High St. property in Franklin, co-owned by "Franklin Phil" Phil Crabb.  Phil gave us the latest on the High St. repairs and subsidence updates, which there is still extensive repair being done.  There were also some recent beginnings of new subsidence on the property, as well.  Phil mentioned they recently did a large amount of excavating on the back side of the main wall / cliff, so there was a fresh surface there to explore in addition to the usual spots.  

 

Once again, Phil appreciated the 25 $ proceeds and mentioned he plans in the very near future, to put that $$ towards MORE excavating on the property.  

 

Gary "Moldy" Moldovany made himself available to visit and sell various affordable UV lights for folks who did not have their own.  This definitely added to the experience.  Everyone once again had a great time and thoroughly thanked Phil!

 

NOTABLE FINDS REPORTED:

 

Brianna Wagner - several small Hardystonite pieces in the remains of the Rutherford Ave. dump pile

Brianna Wagner - "Poor Man's Esperite", a very greenish-yellow (SW) Willemite coloration; confirmed by Gary Moldovany

Matt Lukaitis - few nice Sphalerite crystals (dark amber) in Dolostone vugs

Amira Omar - very colorful red to red-orange Hematite coatings on Dolostone

Emory Jensen - several old rusted metal artifacts form former mining 

Chrissy Skubish and Jen Vance-Paxhia- several nice Sphalerite (LW) finds, pinkish and blue