Troop 10 of Great Neck enjoyed a fun and educational visit to the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in New Jersey. The industrial complex that was once the Sterling Hill zinc mine is now open to the public as a museum.
The guided tour started with a brief mining history of the region and some geological background, and was followed by a treasure hunt within a beautiful mineral collection that contained a wide variety. Scouts learned how to identify real gold from fool’s gold.
Next, the Scouts went on was a walking tour through the 1,300-foot underground Sterling Hill mine. Various pieces of actual equipment were displayed throughout the passage. Visitors saw the lamp room, the shaft station, mine galleries dating back to the 1830s, the glow-in-the-dark fluorescent Rainbow Tunnel and a sight-and-sound blasting demonstration.
After braving the cold, Scouts completed the day in the Rock Discovery Center, where the group learned about the uses of various rocks that are quarried in the region. They then collected specimens of six rock types to bring home.
Scouts also had a chance to earn the Geology and Mining in Society Merit Badge.
Families interested in joining Boy Scouts Troop 10 should email djrosenstein@gmail.com.
