Kibblehouse Quarry

Kibblehouse Quarry is located in Perkiomenville, an unincorporated community in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA. It lies on the western flank of the Sassamansville anticline, near the Perkiomen Creek, which separates Marlborough and Upper Frederick Townships. This area is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area, about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia, making it accessible for mineral enthusiasts. Nearby towns include Green Lane, Woxall, Spring Mount, Red Hill, and Schwenksville, all within a 7.5-mile radius, offering a rural charm with urban proximity.

The quarry is renowned for its diverse mineralogy, particularly zeolite minerals and cobaltite, which have drawn collectors for decades. It features sulphides like alloclasite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, cobaltite, glaucodot, pyrite, and sphalerite; carbonates such as aragonite, azurite, calcite, and malachite; and silicates including actinolite, albite, andradite, axinite-(Fe), chrysocolla, clinochlore, datolite, diopside, epidote, garnet group, heulandite subgroup, montmorillonite, natrolite, orthoclase, prehnite, pumpellyite subgroup, stilbite-Ca, and stellerite. Other minerals include baryte, copper, erythrite, fluorite, magnetite, and marialite, making it a treasure trove for enthusiasts.

The quarry is excavated in hornfels, formed by the thermal metamorphism of mudrocks, located on the western flank of the Sassamansville anticline. The stratigraphic section is above the Perkasie member of the middle Passaic formation and below the Sassamansville diabase sill. Originally red sediments, these rocks have turned dark maroon to black. The intrusion of diabase created a steep thermal gradient, driving convective circulation of connate formation brines, which, combined with low permeability, focused fluid circulation into fractures, leading to the formation of various minerals.

Originally owned by Mr. R.K. Kibblehouse, the quarry was primarily a stone quarry but became famous for its zeolite minerals. In the 1970s, it gained attention for cobaltite and related sulphides, found in a single greenish-gray, flinty bed. Cobaltite is also noted at other Pennsylvania sites like Cornwall and Grace iron mines. The metal concentration is attributed to sedimentary processes, with diabase providing heat for fluid circulation, highlighting its significance in mineralogy.

Perkiomenville has deep historical roots, starting with the Lenni-Lenape Tribe and later settled by German immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries. The area’s Pennsylvania Dutch heritage is celebrated at the annual Goschenhoppen Festival, featuring traditional food, crafts, music, and demonstrations, attracting hundreds of visitors and over 500 volunteers. This festival underscores the community’s connection to its cultural past, offering a vibrant experience for visitors.

Perkiomenville experiences a humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers, typical of Pennsylvania. The Perkiomen Creek and surrounding woodlands support a diverse ecosystem, providing habitats for various flora and fauna. This climate and ecology enhance the area’s appeal, tying the natural environment to the quarry’s geological formations.