• DOI:10.3200/RMIN.84.3.204-223
• Corpus ID: 128683529

The Minerals of New York City, Part 1

@article{Betts2009TheMO,
  title={The Minerals of New York City, Part 1},
  author={John Betts},
  journal={Rocks \& Minerals},
  year={2009},
  volume={84},
  pages={204 - 223}
}

• J. Betts
• Published 1 May 2009
• Geology, History
• Rocks & Minerals

Central Station produced 3 million cubic yards of excavated rock. During these projects local residents interested in minerals have managed to make many mineral discoveries. Often the workers themselves were the ones that set aside a unique mineral occurrence. Because NYC bedrock has been so thoroughly exposed, a surprising number of minerals have been found here. The current list of confirmed minerals is 129 valid mineral species. If NYC were a single locality, this number of species would be impressive, but there are six diverse geologic environments found within the city boundaries. Even more surprising is that three mineral finds in New York City are among the best specimens of that mineral species found in the United States. The famous “Subway Garnet” is the largest well-developed single crystal of almandine from the United States, and the glassy yellow-green chrysoberyl found frozen in quartz matrix by Wallace Goold Levison certainly ranks among the best from the United States. Finally, the well-crystallized artinite specimens found on Staten Island are equal to similar specimens found in San Benito County, California. The landscape of New York City (NYC) was arguably the most exposed and excavated area in the United States, possibly matched only by that of Philadelphia. Bedrock was exposed by basement excavations of buildings to 30 meters deep, cut-and-cover trenches passing through bedrock for subway lines, and the underground railroad, sewer, water, and steam tunnels that crisscross the city. To cite one example, the 1903–1913 excavation for the New York Central railroad yards under what is now Park Avenue north of Grand JOHN H. BETTS 215 West 98th Street, No. 2F New York City, New York 10025 [e-mail] New York City Figure 1. The excavation for the railroad tunnels north of Grand Central Station underneath Park Avenue generated 3 million cubic yards of rock. View looking southwest from 42nd Street and Park Avenue. J. G. Manchester photo (5 August 1902). The Minerals of In spite of the dense urban environment, it is still possible to collect mineral specimens within the boundaries of New York City. It takes perseverance and boldness, but New Yorkers lack neither.