Franklin Furnace

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This article is about a mineral location in New Jersey. For the community in Ohio, see Franklin Furnace, Ohio.
Fluorescent minerals of the Franklin mineral district: franklinite (black), willemite (green), and calcite (red). USGS
Fluorescent minerals of the Franklin mineral district: franklinite (black), willemite (green), and calcite (red). USGS

Franklin Furnace is a famous mineral location for rare zinc, iron, manganese minerals in old mines in Franklin, New Jersey, USA. This locale produced more species of minerals (over 300) and more different fluorescent minerals than any other location. The famous mineral association (assemblage) from Franklin includes willemite, zincite and franklinite.

During the mid to late 1800s the furnace was the center of a large iron making operation. The Furnace mine which was adjacent to the actual furnace, was a 120+ foot vertical shaft just under franklin falls.

Other rare minerals include esperite, clinohedrite, hardystonite, and others. There are scores of minerals found only here, such as Johnbaumite (an arsenous apatite), McGovernite, etc.

Sterling Hill is a few miles away and was part of the same ore body.

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