Collecting Franklin Fluorescent Minerals – James Van Fleet

Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey was declared in 1968 to be "The fluorescent mineral capital of the world," and has defended that title to this day. In 2024 franklinite (ironically a non-fluorescent zinc ore mineral) was declared the New Jersey State Mineral. The Franklin mines closed in 1954 and the nearby Sterling Hill Mine (Ogdensburg) in 1986. The former is preserved as the Franklin Mineral Museum and Buckwheat mine run dump, the latter as the Sterling Hill Mining Museum. Both are excellent destinations for enjoying the study of mineralogy and mining history, as well as for mineral collecting. The Franklin Museum hosts the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society and sponsors bi-annual mineral shows.

James Van Fleet is former President of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS) and former editor of the FOMS journal The Picking Table. He has been editor of the Journal of the Fluorescent Mineral Society and he co-edited Vandall King's 2011 epic Mineralogy of Franklin and Ogdensburg, New Jersey. This three-volume set of books totals 1,400 pages and includes thousands of full- color photographs of minerals from Franklin and Sterling Hill. More than 400 mineral species are represented, as are 30 unknowns and all 125 of the local species known to fluoresce.

Jim retired from his career as Science and Engineering Librarian at Bucknell University. He is also interested in the history of mine lighting, and he served as long-past-editor of Eureka! The Journal of Mining Collectibles. He finds that research, writing, and sharing information are enjoyable aspects of any hobby.

James Van Fleet gave this presentation to the Mineralogical Society of the District of Columbia in December 2024.

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