NJ mine to showcase 44,000-pound mineral slab at The American Museum of Natural History
OGDENSBURG, New Jersey (WABC) -- A piece of Ogdensburg, New Jersey, is heading to The American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan.
"We are honored that the American Museum of Natural History has quarried out a giant slab. It's about 16 feet long and 10 feet high and will be illuminated with about 16 ultraviolet lamps, so it's really going to pop," said William Kroth, President and CEO of The Sterling Hill Mining Museum. The 44,000-pound mineral slab will be on display in the Fall of 2020.
The Sterling Hill Mining Museum, once the largest producer of zinc in the United States, prides itself as one of the only mines in the world where you can find approximately 90 different minerals that fluoresce under ultraviolet lights.
The mine, which stopped operating in 1986, is now run as a non-profit educational foundation focused on educating children and visitors of all ages with their interactive exhibits and activities.
"Our mission is education. Our mission is to show that mankind is dependent on minerals. There is nothing that comes out of a factory that does not require mining to make it. This is a place to get people thinking about the finite resources of the earth," said Kroth.
The mining tour and scientific experience lasts approximately two hours. During the tour, visitors get to explore the underground mine, the mining equipment, the famous "Rainbow Tunnel" and an underground lake.
For more information about The Sterling Hill Mining Museum, visit their website.
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