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Friedensville Mine

Past Producer in Lehigh county in Pennsylvania, United States with commodities Zinc, Cadmium, Iron, Limestone, General
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Mineral occurrence model information
  8. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Geologic structures
  11. Ore body information
  12. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  13. Mining district
  14. Mineral rights holdings
  15. Land status
  16. Ownership information
  17. Production statistics
  18. Reserves and resources
  19. Links to other databases
  20. Bibliographic references
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10067405
MRDS ID W000152
Record type Deposit
Current site name Friedensville Mine
Alternate or previous names Friedensville Zinc Mines

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Main Entrance
Geographic coordinates: -75.40462, 40.55445 (WGS84)
Elevation 113
Relative position Four miles south of Bethlehem, PA.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Lehigh(county)

Pennsylvania(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Allentown East(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Allentown(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Newark(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Lehigh(hydrologic unit)

Upper Delaware(hydrologic accounting unit)

Delaware-Mid Atlantic Coastal(hydrologic subregion)

Mid Atlantic(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Pennsylvania Lehigh

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Zinc Critical Primary
Cadmium Secondary
Iron Secondary
Limestone, General Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Sphalerite Ore
Smithsonite Ore
Hemimorphite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Limonite Ore
Greenockite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Goslarite Ore
Sauconite Ore
Dolomite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Chert Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Aragonite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 231
USGS model code 32a + 32b
Deposit model name Mississippi Valley, minor
Mark3 model number 94

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate
    Rock unit name Beekmantown Formation
    Rock description Beekmantown Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Ordovician
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Mixed Clastic/Carbonate Rock
    Rock unit name Jacksonburg Formation
    Rock description Jacksonburg Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Middle Ordovician
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Dolomite
    Rock unit name Allentown Formation
    Rock description Allentown Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Cambrian

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -75.40462, 40.55445
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Saucon Valley, Reading Prong ; Reg.Trends: Northeast - Southwest
Type of structure Local
Structure description Southwesterly Plunging Overturned Anticline, Saucon Fault

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR, THIN
    Strike N60E
    Dip 90
    Plunge 18 DEG
    Plunge direction SOUTHWEST
    Thickness 30.48M
    Length 914.4M
    Width 304.8M
    Depth to top 137.16M
    Depth to bottom 274.32M
  • Strike N60E
    Dip 90
    Thickness 12M
    Length 594M
    Width 520M
    Depth to top 274.3M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 BRECCIA FILL
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 FISSURE VEIN
    Type of Orebody #3 REPLACEMENT
    Primary mode of Origin UNKNOWN
    Secondary mode of Origin OTHER
    Primary Ore Control OTHER
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 BLEACHING
    Strike And Dip N60E:90
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 30.5
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 820714
  • Area 69HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 69
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Comments on the ore body information

  • DIP OF MINERALIZED ZONE RANGE FROM 75 NW THRU VERT. TO SE.

Comments on the geologic information

  • Ore localized in solution collapse breccias; major units dolomitic limestones and Precambrian gneisses. Mineral deposition developed during the erosion interval marking the unconformity between the Beekmantown and the overlying Jacksonburg Formations. Mineralization occurred during the Ordovician. Deposit is in the Saucon Valley, part of the Reading Prong. Regional trends are northeast-southwest.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1810
Discoverer Jacob Ueberroth
Year of first production 1853
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Friedensville

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership
Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner The New Jersey Zinc Co.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Inspiration Resources Corp. 250 Park Ave, NY, NY 10177
    ID 3602627
    Interest 100
    Home office New York
    Year 1987

Comments on the ownership information

  • MINERAL HOLDINGS: 90% ARE FEE OWNERSHIP AND 10% ARE FOR MINERALS ONLY. PROPERTY UPDATED SEP 1987.

Production statistics

  • Year 1964
    Period 1958-1964
    Ore mined 2594000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zinc Zinc 7wt-pct
  • Year 1967
    Ore mined 586700mt
  • Year 1968
    Ore mined 570600mt
  • Year 1969
    Ore mined 572000mt
  • Year 1970
    Ore mined 564600mt
  • Year 1971
    Ore mined 570000mt
  • Year 1972
    Ore mined 394800mt
  • Year 1973
    Ore mined 346900mt
  • Year 1974
    Ore mined 376900mt
  • Year 1975
    Ore mined 427500mt
  • Year 1976
    Ore mined 472600mt
  • Year 1977
    Ore mined 471000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zn in conc Zinc Zinc 23800mt 5wt-pct
  • Year 1978
    Ore mined 488000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zn in conc Zinc Zinc 22208mt 5wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Ore mined 461000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zn in conc Zinc Zinc 23061mt 5wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Ore mined 478000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zn in conc Zinc Zinc 25926mt 6wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Ore mined 491000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zn in conc Zinc Zinc 26144mt 6wt-pct
  • Year 1982
    Ore mined 461000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zn in conc Zinc Zinc 26176mt 6wt-pct
  • Year 1983
    Period 1967-1983
    Ore mined 8052600mt
  • Year 1983
    Material MINE CLOSED PERMANENTLY IN SEP 1983. MINE COMPLETELY FLOODED.
    Ore mined 320000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Zn in conc Zinc Zinc 17750mt 6wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • Sporadic production of the various zinc mines occurred over the years. Several mergers took place (see Miller reference for a more complete history). Water inflows and high grade New Jersey ores caused periodic abandoning of mines in early history.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1977
    Total resources 9492400mt ore
    Total endowment 17000000mt ore
    Remarks Est. from info. provided by co. officials as of jan 1978. Recoverable reserves 10,884,000 tonnes with Zn grade 5.0 percent, 9,492,400 after allowance for pillars and dilution. \nBook Hunt & Associates Ltd. Western World Lead Zinc Cost Study, 1986 ed. Vol 5 - United States p 225.\n
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Zinc Zn 6.6 wt-pct Zinc Major 1977
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 2010
    Total endowment 17000000mt
    Remarks Estimated from 1958-1977 production plus 1977 reserves.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    CALLAHAN, W.H., 1970, GEOLOGY OF FRIEDENSVILLE ZINC MINE, LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: IN RIDGE, J.D., ED., ORE DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED STATES 1933-1967 (GRATON-SALES VOLUME) V. 1: AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGICAL AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERS, P. 95-107.

  • Deposit

    MILLER, B.S., 1925, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE ALLENTOWN QUADRANGLE, PENNSYLVANIA: PENNSYLVANIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 4TH SERIES, GEOLOGICAL ATLAS OF PENNSYLVANIA, ATLAS 206, 195 P.

  • Deposit

    Metsger, R.W., Wilman, A.H., and Van Ness, C.G., 1973, Field guide to the Friedensville mine of the New Jersey Zinc Company: Geological Society of America field guide for Northeastern Section Meeting at Allentown, Pennsylvania, New Jersey Zinc Company, 21 p.

  • Deposit

    Leach, D., Sangster, D., Kelley, K., Large, R.R., Garven, G., Allen, C., Gutzmer, J., and Walters, S., 2005, Sediment-hosted lead-zinc deposits: A global perspective. Economic Geology, 100th Aniversary Volume. pp. 561-607. Also Appendices A, B, C, D, E, and Supplement

  • Deposit

    CHILDS, M.S., 1957, GEOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT AT FRIEDENSVILLE IN MINING ENGINEERING, JAN. 1975.--GEOL., HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT AT FRIEDENSVILLE.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL,DEC,1969, ARTICLE: CANADIAN DATA YIELDS GRAPHS TO SPEED MINE FEASIBILITY STUDIES.

  • Deposit

    FRASER, D.M., 1935, MICROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION OF FRIEDENSVILLE PENNSYLVANIA, ZINC ORE: THE AMER. MINEROLOGIST V. 20, PP. 451-454.

  • Deposit

    MILLER, B.L., 1926, ALLENTOWN QUADRANGLE: 4TH PA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 206.

  • Deposit

    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, 1977. 10K REPORT.

  • Deposit

    SOCOLOW, A.A. (1959A), FRIEDENSVILLE, PA MINE, NEW JERSEY ZINC.

  • Deposit

    U.S. BUREAU OF MINES MINERAL YEARBOOK, 1965-1973--ZINC PRODUCTION.

  • Deposit

    1981 MSHA LIST

  • Deposit

    1980 MSHA LIST

  • Deposit

    RCF & CMS LISTS 10/81

  • Deposit

    ASSOC. WITH MILL, MAS SEQ # 0240779012, MRDS dep_id 10153865.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAR-72 Wright, Nancy A. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-OCT-81 Sutphin, David M. U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 01-JAN-83 Whitlow, S. U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 09-AUG-93 Mishra, C.P. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Editor 07-NOV-03 Woodruff, Laurel G. U.S. Geological Survey Expanded original record W000152; deleted record W100417. Added Cd as minor commodity and expanded geology comments from Callahan (1970). Expanded references.

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 10/29/1996
MSHA mine ID3602627
Mine name (MSHA)Friedensville Lime Plant #142
Current operatorEastern Industries Inc
Current controller (parent)New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company Inc; New Enterprise Stone & Lime Com
Mine typeFacility (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.

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