A large piece of massive, purplish sussexite that was a standout in the SPEX/Gerstmann collection and is now on display at the Franklin Mineral Museum, where it is cataloged as FMM-1441. Like similar massive sussexites (e.g. SSX1 and SSX33) it is from the South limb of the North Orebody and was probably found close to the Zero fault. This specimen, sawn and polished on the back, is visually distinctive for the contrast between brownish orange zincite, purplish sussexite, and white calcite. Note that zincite of this sort from the North Orebody has been hydrothermally etched and is fairly fragile; it is locally called “rotten zincite.” Like the recrystallized yellow zincite from the upper levels of the West limb of the main Sterling Hill orebody, “rotten zincite” from the NOB’s South limb usually fluoresces yellow under longwave UV.
Identifier: SSX16a Locality: South limb of the North orebody, Sterling mine, Ogdensburg Specimen size: 26 x 12 x 4 cm Photo credit: Earl R. Verbeek