Fibrous wollastonite - Franklin, NJ

Description

An astoundingly rich classic fluorescent wollastonite from the Franklin mine. This example of wollastonite is the renowned "fibrous" wollastonite, and some collectors in the old days had called this type of wollastonite "pectoprehnite." However, it is NOT a valid mineral species name. This type of wollastonite is much desired by fluorescent collectors and very atypical for Franklin mine occurrences of wollastonite. There have been several finds of wollastonite in the Franklinite mine. As described by Richard Bostwick in an issue of "The Picking Table" (V. 45, No. 2 - Fall 2004) The Journal of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society, "One type actually looks like classic pectolite, being fibrous and of radiating habit. This is what we now call fibrous wollastonite; it is part of the remarkable minehillite assemblage. Here the locality in the mine and the date (1951) were recorded, while the identification of the fibrous mineral as wollastonite was published over 20 years later (Parker & Fainberg, 1975). The other "pectolite," now called "Original-Find wollastonite," is something of a mystery. Its locality underground and date of discovery apparently were not recorded, and the detailed identification have not been published. Collector lore places its emergence onto the market in the mid-1930s, and old-timers will recall seeing this material labeled "pectolite with clinozoisite," though apparently neither mineral is now believed in this assemblage. While the orange fluorescence of this material was less bright than that of typical Franklin wollastonite, specimens were still valued for their rarity." A portion at the top of the specimen has a slip surface of native lead. Native lead usually is found as a gray inclusion in a wide range of minerals, especially in the "Parker Shaft" suite of mineral species. Lastly, there are abundant portions, grains, and sections of gray willemite. This specimen is from the collection of Don Newsome. Newsome is the founder and president of UV Systems, Inc., and is the inventor of the SuperBright and TripleBright ultraviolet lights. He is also the founder of the Fluorescent Mineral Society, Inc., and is presently on its Board of Directors. Newsome had amassed a superlative fluorescent mineral collection, of which a sizable portion were specimens from Franklin and Sterling Hill.
This specimen was originally up for auction during the annual mineral auction at the Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin, NJ., in November 2022. It was auction item number 2.
The wollastonite fluoresces a moderate to bright orange, and the willemite is bright green under shortwave (254nm) ultraviolet light. This is an increasingly hard-to-obtain assemblage of fluorescent wollastonite. Bear in mind this is a supremely rich museum-quality specimen and weighs just over 16 pounds. It would be hard to pass up an opportunity to acquire such a gorgeous example of fluorescent wollastonite.
Dimensions are
21.7x20.2x15.5cm - 8½x8x6¼in.
Please note the centimeter cube and inch bar for scale.
Weight in grams and ounces:
7.3kg - 16.2lbs.
From the
Franklin mine, Franklin, NJ.
The previous collection this specimen was in is #230, Don Newsome Collection with an attached tag that reads Min1550.
#230 is the museum's Collection Sale number previously offered in the museum shop.
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All potential buyers need to be aware that being able to view fluorescent minerals requires an ultraviolet lamp. Most of the minerals from the Franklin and Sterling Hill zinc mining district fluoresce under
shortwave ultraviolet light
.
The shortwave wavelength is
254nm
or otherwise known as
UV C
. Always read the description carefully to determine if the main mineral of interest for a particular specimen will fluoresce.
ALL
fluorescent minerals depicted in our storefront are illuminated by two (2) 35 watt Triple short/mid/long wave AC 35SML-110/220 Way Too Cool LLC ultraviolet lamps.
There are several available brands and models of ultraviolet lights on eBay and other online sources. For further information on ultraviolet light and fluorescent minerals, copy and paste the following and go to >>>
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.
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DISCLAIMER: Every reasonable effort was made to identify the mineral species noted in each specimen accurately. The occasional label from previous collection(s) may misidentify some species, and the current title and description here reflect the latest mineral species identification.
There may or may not be any fluorescent mineral species present in this specimen. A fluorescent photograph may not have been included for several reasons. Chief among these are; there may not be any fluorescence in this particular specimen. If there are fluorescent species, it is considered minor and not the specific species of note in this particular specimen. Another reason not including a fluorescent photograph is that some mineral species may be too weak to record even with modern photographic technology and photo-enhancement. If such fluorescent species were present in this specimen, it would be noted in the descriptive text.
A modest effort was made to depict a fluorescent specimen accurately as possible.
In some cases, overexposure should be expected in select photographs to compensate for a fluorescent specimen's weak response.
All buyers should exercise safe viewing practices regarding the use of ultraviolet light. Visual dark adaption is highly recommended in the optimal viewing of fluorescent minerals. Buyers should also be aware of what type of lighting to view the specimens under. This can result in perceived differences of color and contrast due to color and contrast shifting under various kinds of lights available.
All photographs were taken with a Nikon D5300 digital camera with a Nikon DX AF-S 18-55mm lens attached with a UV filter. Lighting was done with a pair of OSRAM 8.5 watt LED A19 5000K 800 lumens bulbs in brushed aluminum reflectors. The photographs were processed on a color-calibrated flat panel monitor. Do note the Imperial measurement conversion is the nearest equivalent to the listed metric measurement.
--- All photographs appearing on this listing or any other Franklin Mineral Museum listing are the property of the Franklin Mineral Museum. Photographs
can be used strictly for personal use onl
y
. Otherwise, the photographs posted here are protected by U.S. Copyright Laws. They are not to be downloaded or reproduced for public use or distribution in any way without the written permission of the Franklin Mineral Museum.