Franklin: Epidote & Pyrite Rockhounding in Sussex County, New Jersey
- Minerals reported
- 3
- Elevation
- 520 ft
- Best months
- March to November
Franklin is called the Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World, and its Buckwheat Dump is where visitors can still collect the glowing willemite, calcite, and franklinite that made the district famous. The ore body formed in Precambrian Franklin Marble under extreme heat and pressure, producing the richest mineral-species diversity of any locality on Earth, more than 350 species. Under shortwave ultraviolet light the finds glow green and red. Reported finds include epidote, pyrite, fluorite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Sussex County
- State
- New Jersey
- Nearest road
- N. Church Road
- Postcode
- 07460
- Coordinates
- 41.12016, -74.59302
Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.
Land & collecting status
Generally open to casual rockhounding
Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.
Access note: Fee-to-collect on the Franklin Mineral Museum's Buckwheat Dump, open seasonally (roughly April to November). Expect a small admission plus a per-pound charge for what you keep. This is a supervised museum dump, not free open land. Bring a shortwave UV lamp to spot the fluorescent pieces.
Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.
Best time to visit Franklin
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 36°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, SUSSEX AP station (6 mi away).
Geology at Franklin
This spot sits on Allentown Dolomite, mapped as dolostone that formed roughly 495 to 470 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this is the classic host for lead, zinc, and fluorite mineralization, which typically follows old cavities and replacement zones.
- Mapped unit
- Allentown Dolomite
- Age
- 495–470 Ma (Furongian to Early Ordovician)
- Rock types
- dolostone
- Elevation
- 520 ft
Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.
Today's weather
Is today a good day to go?
The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Franklin.
Get the appSources & verification
Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.
- New Jersey Geological and Water Survey
- Monmouth County Park System, fossil collecting rules
- Sterling Hill Mining Museum
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Franklin
Each name opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Franklin.
- Franklin FurnaceSussex County, New Jersey · 0 mi awayFluorite, Franklinite, Magnetite
- Franklin (minerals)Sussex County, New Jersey · 1 mi awayApatite, Azurite, Cerussite
- Franklin-Ogdensburg-Sterling Hill mining districtSussex County, New Jersey · 3 mi awayWillemite, Zincite, Calcite
- SpartaSussex County, New Jersey · 6 mi awayChondrodite, Corundum, Ruby
- Sulphur Hill MineSussex County, New Jersey · 11 mi awayWillemite
- Nolands PointMorris County, New Jersey · 12 mi awayGarnet
- Mount HopeMorris County, New Jersey · 13 mi awayApatite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite
- HiberniaMorris County, New Jersey · 13 mi awayApatite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite
Across the state line from Franklin
Franklin is close enough to the New Jersey border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- AmityOrange County, New York · 12 mi awayBlue Corundum, White Corundum, Fluorite
- Mines (Orange County)Orange County, New York · 15 mi awayArsenopyrite, Leucopyrite, Scorodite
- CraigsvilleOrange County, New York · 26 mi awayBloodstone
- StroudsbrugMonroe County, Pennsylvania · 30 mi awayAgatized Coral, Quartz
- Area Near West PointOrange County, New York · 36 mi awayChrysotile Asbestos
- SummitvilleSullivan County, New York · 36 mi awaySphalerite
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