New Jersey area is probably the most famous location for fluorescent minerals. The mines of Franklin and the Sterling Hill Mine at Ogdensburg, Sussex County in northwestern New Jersey are world famous for fluorescent minerals. No other site has produced more rare and interesting minerals. Over 80 fluorescent mineral samples have been taken from these mines. While other great localities can have similar minerals, no location on earth compares with the minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, New Jersey.

The city of Franklin calls itself "The Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World"! We can't imagine a fluorescent mineral display that does not contain a specimen from Franklin or Sterling Hill. The most common specimens from these localities can literally "light up" a fluorescent display with beautiful reds (Calcite) and greens (Willemite) under short-wave ultraviolet light. These specimens are made even more interesting with a mix of non fluorescent black (Franklinite) contrasting the fluorescent display with black designs. Other fluorescent minerals from here include Esperite (bright yellow-green), Clinohedrite (orange-yellow), Hardystonite (violet-blue), Barite (white), Manganaxinite (an intense red) and Wollastonite (bright-yellow) to name a few.

Sadly, the mines are now closed and filled with water and rock. Only a few mine dumps remain to provide any new material. Two museums are present to educate the public about these remarkable mines and one allows tours into some of the actual mine shafts and both provide mine dump collecting opportunities. It is easy to see that these mines are truly one of the best mineral localities to ever be discovered and specimens from them should be treasured.

Franklin Mineral Museum (click on Links to see museums) Sterling Hill Mining Museum

Most of the specimens available now are from the "trailings" or dump sites known as "dumps". This is the material that
was removed from the mines many years ago. Specimens from the famous Trotter Dump and the Buckwheat Dump
are highly collectible but the true prize comes from old stock specimens actually removed from the mines and stored
without being weathered and oxidized. Franklinite is a prized mineral if found in its crystal form. Older specimens from
these areas had large Franklinite inclusions and large patches of Calcite and Willemite and are referred to as "Jumbo"
series specimens.