CompuServe Thread

Hi, Cliff– Welcome to the forum/section! Here are copies of past messages that should give you some idea of what and where the Wheatley mine is. –Doug #92319 S12/Geology 07-Mar-93 14:06:31 Sb: #92287-NEW MEMBER IN FORUM Fm: Nathan A. Schachtman 75010,61 To: Michael Sternberg 76147,42 Michael- The locality I described in my recent message to K. Wentworth may be ideal. I suggested that if she were in Philadelphia, she check out the old Wheatley lead-silver mines outside of Phoenixville. The mines were Dana localities for pyromorphite, and the dumps are still producing good specimens. I have found nice pyromorphite, mimetite, and sphalerite crystals on the dumps. Recently, I found two wulfenite crystals (both micros): one in a tabular habit, the other dipyramidal. There's a lot of history to the old Phoenixville mines, which is nicely summarized in the article by Sloto in vol. 20,no. 5 of the Mineralogical Record. Take a specimen to the club house of the Pickering Creek Golf Club, offer it to the manager, ask for directions to the old mine dumps, and you're on your way. Look out for golf balls! If you want more specific directions to the site, let me know. I belong to several of the area mineral societies, including the Delaware Valley Earth Science Society, the Philadelphia Mineralogical Soc'y, Friends of Mineralogy–PA chap., all of which have field trips from time to time. Let me know when you'll be in the area and I'll see what's going on. Most of the other sites around here are plagued by access problems, or require a longer drive from Claymont. Let me know how much time you'll have and I'll try to brief you on other available localities. If it rains, you can always go to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. If you like, I can send you a free pass. #93993 S12/Geology 31-Mar-93 20:08:17 Sb: #93848-Rockhound conference3/28 Fm: Nathan A. Schachtman 75010,61 To: jerry dedrick 72767,2450 (X) Jerry, Get your pencil and paper, and I'll take you to the dumps of the ol' Wheatley load. From the Schukyll ("Surekill to us natives) Expressway, follow signs to Valley Forge National Park (or to Route 23 West, which runs right through the Park). The access to Rt. 23 is, admittedly, a little tricky, but persevere and stay alert for signs for Valley Forge, and for Rt 23. (BTW, the Schukyll is Rt 76, and runs into the PA tpk. at the Philadelphia/Valley Forge exit.) Anyway, once on Rt 23 N/W, follow it toward Phoenixville. It may curve and wind, but it stays Rt 23, and you must stay with it. Just before entering Phoenixville, you will come to an intersection of Rt 23 and Whitehorse Road. It's a relatively busy intersection with gas stations, etc., on each of the corners. You turn left onto Whitehorse, and drive about two miles until the Pickering Valley Golf Club appears on your right. Turn right into the Club drive, and follow it back a ways until you come to the club house. Go in, make yourself known as a serious rockcollector who wants to collect on the dumps of the Phoenix, Brookdale, and SW Chester Mines. Offer a mineral specimen for the owner's nephew, and ask for directions to the dumps. (At this point, you are very close. The engine stack of the Brookdale, a famous landmark for us locals, is visible from behind the clubhouse.) Enjoy!!

Hi Cliff- You're thoroughly P'd FJI (G) – The Wheatley Mine is an old Revolutionary War lead mine, famous for massive crystals of pyromorphite and the like. (YEEK! Lead phosphate arsenates!) It is a mine I've been seeking for years. Where is it? Well, if you want me to, I can send Nathan's *wicked good* instructions to you. It is a tad out of Valley Forge, Pa., of Geo. Washington fame. It is, of all places, in the middle of a golf course. I dunno, mixing rock bags and golf bags is a dubious thing… I'd searched the area for years. Then Nathan says, "Well, you head for this golf course…." It's in all of the rock books. (But not the location, of course….) OK, to answer your question: The Wheatley is a hard-to-find Revolutionary lead mine in PA. An original-of-the-species pyromorphite place, two hours south of me. And my SO (blankity-blank!) found the first pickings…… We scored big! Thanks to Nathan for explicit directions!!!! JayDee

Hi Doug!! >We mineral collectors are in danger of being outnumbered >by lapidaries, fossil collectors, and sometimes even cavers… Yeah, I noticed. I was on vacation for the big Internet Geo-goofup. You would not BELIEVE what my E-mailbox looked like when I got back. >most of mine (time) is spent trying to catch up after >assorted trips lately. Yes, I know *all* about catch-up….. Yes, I know what you're going to ask about the pyromorphite…. I looked, I just forgot to mention it. There's no fluorescence in anything I got. Except for the mimetite specimen. Pale greyish, small needle-like xtals which are pale yellow under LW and SW. And I only found one small piece, so it's not up for trade. Plenty of green pyromorphite, though. Got there right after a thunderstorm, picking was superb. I've been following your discussion with Nathan (every time I come back, I have a few minutes to download, but until now, no time to jump in…) on Bancroft stuff. It turns out we were in *exactly* the same places, and some of the things I've found match the description exactly! Goulding-Keene (along the York River) is fairly well worked out, but I found some nice stuff there too. It's a pretty hike, if nothing else. Across the river, the skarn has diopside/garnet (the color is gorgeous!) with yellowish white fluorescence (SW & LW) that dissolves in HCl, making it calcite. I would take Bancroft as a rival to Franklin for fluorescence any day!. The colors aren't as garish though. ………..JayDee