The minerals in the Kittatinny limestone

The Paleozoic strata have not been notably metamorphosed or mineralized, but they were invaded, presumably late in Triassic time, by dikes of camptonite and nepheline syenite, and they had been profoundly faulted, probably late in the Paleozoic era and again at the end of the Triassic period. Spurr and Lewis (234) record "irregular subsequent impregnations of fluorite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, and many other minerals" of the sort associated with such dikes cutting limestone. At several places in the limestone there are irregular cavities on whose walls are crystals of fluorite, quartz, calcite, albite, and sphalerite.

These occurrences are minor significance in the mineralogy of the district but show the presence of sulphide-bearing solutions, probably during the latest marked deformation. To such solutions, quite possibly, are due the small and rare veins of quartz, pyrite, sphalerite, and carbonates that cut the ore deposits. (See page 22.)


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