Collecting on the Trotter Dump - April 29, 2000

Introduction

	Don Halterman of the DVESS viewing Franklin zinc ore, in-place, at night, at the Trotter dump. Franklin, NJ. Calcite (red) and willemite (green) fluorescing under shortwave UV. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.

The Delaware Valley Earth Science Society (DVESS) has once again organized a special collecting trip to the Trotter dump in Franklin, NJ. 

In 2000 it was held on Saturday April 29th, and lasted well into the night to allow for prospecting under ultraviolet light.

A special treat on this trip was the uncovering of a section of  zinc ore left in-place by the New Jersey Zinc Company after the cessation of zinc mining (1954). 

Workers exposed some of this still-intact Franklin ore allowing collectors, for the first time, to see these unusual minerals as they were formed in the earth; freshly exposed and in-place. At night, shortwave ultraviolet lights were trained on this section of ore creating a fabulous sight (see photos above and below).

Willemite, a prime zinc ore, was seen as thick bands of brilliant green-fluorescing grains, disseminated in a wall of bright red-fluorescing calcite. A magnificent sight!

Most of the Trotter dump is in fact fluorescent sand, which, lit by portable shortwave ultraviolet lamps at night, creates a truly otherworldly appearance. Much brilliantly fluorescent calcite (red-orange) and willemite (green) was found, along with some hydrozincite (blue-white) and smaller amounts of other less common fluorescent species.

The Trotter dump

The Trotter dump has a long history; the site includes the original Trotter mine shafts, which operated in the late 1800's, and have long since been capped and sealed.

	Eileen Ross with a wagonload of glowing treasure. Night collecting at the Trotter dump. Franklin, NJ. Calcite (red) and willemite (green) fluorescing under shortwave UV. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.

A fill shaft (actually a raise) is also on the property, and many tons of (fluorescent) calcite 'sand' were used to fill mined-out sections of the mine below. As a result, there are tons of this brightly-glowing sand on the surface today. 

There is also much rock -- from various openings in the Franklin area -- because the land served as a dumping ground for mine tailings from several Franklin mines, and over a many year period.

Collectors have collected here on a regular basis throughout the 1960's and early 70's, but the Trotter  was closed to public collecting in subsequent years.

Recently, the DVESS has organized special collecting events in collaboration with the property's current owner, Mr. Steve Phillips. 

Collecting is permitted only during these special events, such as was arranged this past April by the DVESS and Mr. Phillips.

A special surprise

For this event, owner Steve Phillips had workers uncover some of the last near-surface Franklin ore known. The ore is located in an old mining pillar, near the extreme northern end of his property.

In this area the west limb of the Franklin zinc ore body passes right along the surface in it's roughly north-south outcropping. Most all of such surface-level zinc ore has long since been removed by the mining companies.

But here, on the Trotter property, a pillar of ore was left in-place as a structural support -- and as a special treat for collectors attending this unveiling!

	Collector Dan Imel peers at some of the samples he's collected on the Trotter. Specimens are fluorescing under shortwave UV. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.		A young collector (Jennifer Carey), at left, admiring a glowing wall of in-place zinc ore at the Trotter dump. Franklin, NJ. Calcite (red) and willemite (green) fluorescing under shortwave UV. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.

Thanks to DVESS & Terry Wilson

All photographs shown here were taken by Terry Wilson of the DVESS, who achieved splendid results -- on the first try! 

Thanks to Terry, Don Halterman and the DVESS for allowing us to post them on this Web site. They give viewers a good idea to what it's like to night collect at such an unusual place -- magic.

For a full trip report, including more of Terry's photos, visit the DVESS.

	Don Halterman busy (right) at the bottom of a small 'pit' on the Trotter dump, surrounded by his many glowing prizes. Franklin, NJ. Calcite (red) and willemite (green) fluorescing under shortwave UV. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.

	Crushed calcite 'sand' on the Trotter dump at night. Shown fluorescing under shortwave UV. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.
	Greg Lesinski inspecting glowing zinc ore in-place at the Trotter dump. Franklin, NJ. Calcite (red), willemite (green), and hydrozincite (blue-white) fluorescing under shortwave UV. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.

	Buckwheat open-cut. Viewed from the Trotter property and looking southeast. This was a buckwheat field that was stripped and mined for zinc in the 19th century. It flooded as groundwater pumping was ceased by the New Jersey Zinc Company  in 1954. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.
	Trotter in daylight. Late afternoon photo showing the large trench dug by earthmoving equipment to give collectors a fresh start. Note the sand, nearly all of which fluoresces red and green. Franklin, NJ. Photo © Terry Wilson of DVESS.

Click on any of the photos on this page for larger views, and be sure to see the rest of the Franklin fluorescence photos on this site..