November Presentation: "Classic Mineral Localities of Chester County, Pennsylvania," by Ron Sloto, P.G.

by Laura Dwyer, MSDC Member

Wulfenite, Wheatley Mine, Chester County, PA.

Chester County’s varied geology provides an abundance of mineral deposits. During a history spanning more than 200 years, some of the deposits were successfully exploited and some were never economically viable. Production from the county’s mineral deposits began before the Revolutionary War and continues today.

Pyrite on apophyllite, French Creek Mine, Chester County, PA.

The county is the home of many famous and world-class mineral localities. Ron's presentation, “Classic Mineral Localities of Chester County, Pennsylvania,” discusses the history and mineralogy of the Phoenixville (Wheatley) mines, French Creek Mine, Poorhouse Quarry, Brinton’s Quarry, Corundum Hill, and Keystone (Cornog) Quarry. Mineral collecting is still possible at all of these localities except the Keystone quarry, which is flooded.

Rutile, Poorhouse Quarry, Chester County, PA.

Our speaker, Ron Sloto, P.G., is on the research faculty of West Chester University. He serves as the curator for the mineral collection at the University and is the Director of the WCU Geology Museum. He conducts research on the mineralogy of Pennsylvania.

Clinochlore, Brinton's Quarry, Chester County, PA.

Ron retired from the U.S. Geological Survey after a 41-year career that included publication of over 80 reports, journal articles, and abstracts. The HYSEP hydrograph-separation computer program he developed is in worldwide use.

Diaspore from Corundum Hill, Chester County, PA.

Ron has been a mineral collector since the age of 5 and also has a keen interest in history. He has published books about the mining history and mineralogy of Chester, Berks, Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware Counties (available from Amazon.com). He is currently working on a similar effort about Philadelphia mining history and mineralogy. His recent publications include “Phosphate Minerals from Lime Ridge, Snyder County, Pennsylvania” in the September-October 2022 issue of The Mineralogical Record and “A Unique Fulgurite from Rebersburg, Pennsylvania” in the Spring 2023 issue of Pennsylvania Geology.