Wollastonite - Sterling Hill Mine, New Jersey
Contributed by: FMS Admin
Date: May 26th, 2026
Locality: Noble pit (Lot #10 - Ogden Divisions; Noble Mine), Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (See on Mindat)
Weight: 21 lb
Description:
Wollastonite is relatively common but still sought after fluorescent material from the Sterling Hill Mine. This specimen, weighing in at just over 21 pounds, was recently collected from a massive boulder in the Noble Pit at the mine. The wollastonite glows yellow/orange in shortwave and is evident by the brownish crystals in natural. The white material is a dimly fluorescent calcite. Interestingly, the further from the main orebody at the mine, the dimmer the calcite.
The last photo is of a different specimen cracked off the same boulder. The blue and the green material are unknown subject to much debate. They appear to be coatings of some sort are both commonly found with wollastonite in the area. Conjectures regarding the green include opal, uranyl salts, or even flowstone with organic inclusions. The blue is most likely hydrozincite but may be a carbonate coating of some sort. Further tests are coming from the experts at the mine.
Originally posted by Fire Viper on Nature's Rainbows in 2016.
Summary of luminescence responses:
Wollastonite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Yellow