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Burkholder
Quarry
(Martin Limestone)
Ephrata, PA
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October 31, 2009 (Saturday):
Kurtz Quarry,
Denver,
PA
&
Burkholder Quarry,
Ephrata,
PA.
Members of DMS will collect at two
active quarries in southeastern PA. Kurtz Quarry cuts
through dense gray to black dolomitic limestone.
Mineralization occurs as vein fillings in brecciated
limestone. Minerals that have been found at this
quarry include: pink and white dolomite, small calcite
crystals, dark purple fluorite cubes, minute sphalerite
crystals, yellow barite on pink dolomite, quartz crystals,
chalcopyrite, pyrite, and malachite. Burkholder is
also an active quarry located at 404 Martindale Road.
Burkholder has produced some nice
calcite and
fluorite crystals in the past. Note: This
is about a 1.5-hour drive from
Wilmington.
Children must be
at least 13 years old and supervised by an adult at all
times in order to collect here. We will meet at
Kurtz Quarry at 8:00 AM. Please sign up by October 27th
if you would like to attend!
November 15, 2008, Saturday:
Kurtz
Quarry, Denver, PA &
Burkholder Quarry, Ephrata, PA . (CANCELED DUE
TO WEATHER. May be rescheduled for November 22nd. If
you've already signed up, Bob Asreen will call you. If you
have yet to sign up, contact Bob first. We will post here,
if we are rescheduling for sure.)
On
Saturday, members of DMS will collect at two active quarries in
southeastern PA.
Kurtz Quarry cuts through dense gray to black dolomitic limestone. Mineralization occurs as vein fillings in brecciated
limestone. Minerals that have been found at this quarry include: pink and white
dolomite, small calcite crystals, dark purple fluorite cubes, minute sphalerite crystals,
yellow barite on pink dolomite, quartz crystals, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and
malachite.
Burkholder is an active quarry located at 404 Martindale Road.
Burkholder has produced some nice calcite and fluorite
crystals.
Please signup if you would like to attend! Note:
This is about a 1.5-hour drive from Wilmington.
November 10, 2007, Saturday: Martin
Limestone Kurtz Quarry, Denver, PA and Burkholder Quarry,
Hinkletown, PA:
These quarries cut
through dense gray to black dolomitic limestone.
Mineralization occurs as vein fillings in brecciated
limestone. Minerals
that have been found at these quarries include: pink and white
dolomite, small calcite crystals, dark purple fluorite cubes,
minute sphalerite crystals, yellow barite on pink dolomite,
quartz crystals, chalcopyrite, pyrite and malachite.
Please sign up by Nov 8th if you would like to
attend!
Burkholder Quarry Slideshow (11-10-2007)
May 5,
2007, Saturday: Martin
Limestone Kurtz Quarry, Denver, Lancaster County, PA and Burkholder Quarry, Ephrata,
Lancaster Co., PA. Kurtz Quarry cuts through dense gray to black
dolomitic limestone. Mineralization occurs as vein fillings in brecciated
limestone. Minerals that have been found at this quarry include: pink and white
dolomite, small calcite crystals, dark purple fluorite cubes, minute sphalerite crystals,
yellow barite on pink dolomite, quartz crystals, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and
malachite.
Burkholder is an active quarry located at
404 Martindale Road. Burkholder has produced some nice calcite and fluorite crystals.
Fieldtrip is from 8:30AM - 5:00PM.
Please signup if you would like to attend! Note:
This is about a 1.5-hour drive from Wilmington.
May 14, 2005, Saturday: Martin Limestone
Burkholder Quarry, Ephrata, Lancaster Co., PA: Burkholder is an active
quarry located at 404 Martindale Road. Burkholder has produced some nice calcite and fluorite crystals.
Please be the Martin Limestone office by 9:00 AM sharp! All attending must sign a
release form. Junior members are welcome but must be supervised by a parent.
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Above: Yellow calcite and purple fluorite crystals abound
in the karst of Burkholder Quarry. Scott removes a specimen of purple fluorite.
(bottom right) |
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Geology
The Burkholder quarry is located at the northern boundary of the Lancaster Valley Section
of the Piedmont Physiographic Province. The Lancaster Valley consists of Cambrian- and
Ordovician-aged limestone and dolomites of varying thickness that have been faulted and
folded. Immediately bounding the quarry to the north are Triassic-aged red beds, composed
of conglomerates, sandstones and shales, some of which are exposed along Denver Road.
The two rock units that are exposed in the quarry are the Lower to Middle Ordovician aged
(485 million year old)
Epler Formation and the Middle Cambrian (520 million year old) Buffalo
Springs Formation.
Geologic Time Scale
The Epler Formation consists of dark gray to black, very finely crystalline, interbedded
limestone and dolomite, which is exposed in the northern 4/5 of the quarry. The Buffalo
Springs Formation, which is exposed only in the previously mined cove along the southern
highwall, is a light to dark gray, fine to medium crystalline, laminated and interbedded
limestone and dolomite.
The rocks at Burkholder Quarry were intensely deformed from faulting and folding. A high
thrust fault (dipping approximately 70 degrees south), with a displacement of a few
thousand, separates the Buffalo Springs Formation in the southern part of the quarry from
the Epler Formation in the north. The rocks in the Epler Formation are not as intensely
deformed as those in the Buffalo Springs Formation. However, the Epler Formation is
steeply dipping at the fault, is cut by several faults with resultant fold development and
dips approximately 15 to 20 degrees at the northern highwall.
Mineralogy
Mineralization occurs in veins and in vug fillings in brecciated rock and includes:
Barite, which is rarely found as yellowish plates (5mm);
Calcite, which commonly occurs as massive white veins and scalenohedral
crystals and smaller colorless crystals;
Chalcopyrite, which occasionally occurs as golden crystals on and in the
calcite;
Dolomite, which occurs as well formed, pink curved crystals usually
associated with calcite and fluorite;
Fluorite,
which occurs as 3-4mm purple cubes or seen as purple sheen on fractures and joints;
Malachite, which appears as a green halo around chalcopyrite;
Pyrite,
which is common as tiny pyritohedron forms associated with calcite and fluorite and as ¼ inch
cubes in the green mudstone/limestone layer;
Quartz, which occurs as opaque masses in calcite and occasionally as
terminated clear crystals; and
Sphalerite, which is uncommon but sometimes occurs as red-orange masses
associated with calcite and dolomite. [Bob Asreen]
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Ephrata.PA
Weather Conditions and Forecast |
This page last updated:
February 22, 2010 07:06:11 PM
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