The amazing story of zinc production in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania is the subject of a lecture at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum in Allentown. The program will be presented by Peter L. Kern, a former Senior Vice President of Research and Development for the New Jersey Zinc Company.

“The New Jersey Zinc Company exerted a tremendous influence on twentieth century Pennsylvania, and that’s the emphasis of our program,” said Garrera. “Key company operations formed a triangle from its mines in Franklin, New Jersey, westward to those in Friedensville, Center Valley, Pennsylvania, then north to its smelting operations in Palmerton, Pennsylvania.”

The first zinc mine in Friedensville, Lehigh County, opened in the 1850s and operated sporadically until about 1893. Several decades later, in the mid-twentieth century, the New Jersey Zinc Company opened an underground zinc mine there to supply ore to its smelter in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. Zinc smelters convert mined zinc ore into pure zinc vital for a variety of industrial purposes. The Friedensville Mine, along with the company’s mines in Franklin, New Jersey, supplied zinc to the company’s smelter in Palmerton.

In the late 1800s, the New Jersey Zinc Company had consolidated its smelting operations at a site along the Lehigh River just north of the Lehigh Gap.

In 1898, they constructed their smelting plants and established the model company town of Palmerton. The New Jersey Zinc Company understood the importance of education and good health care. They built the town’s hospital, installed water and sewer systems, and built low-cost homes.

Speaker Peter Kern is a professional chemical engineer who joined the New Jersey Zinc Company in 1965 after receiving his graduate degree in mathematics. Remaining there throughout his 23-year career, he eventually became a senior vice president. Kern has made numerous presentations over the past six years to groups interested in New Jersey Zinc and in Palmerton.

Admission to the event is free to members, $8 for adult nonmembers, and $3 for nonmember children.

The museum is located at 432 W. Walnut St. in Allentown. Parking is available in the rear of the museum, on the street, and in nearby lots. For more information, contact Joseph Garrera, Executive Director, at 610-435-1074.