Jasper The discovery came after three summers of exploration, test trenching, and open pit mining. The mining area addressed here lays approximately 8 kilometers northeast of Lake George, Colorado inside Pike National Forest. ROCKHOUNDING 101. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Houselog Creek: Houselog Creek is located in Saguache County at a distance of 12 miles from Saguache. Posts: 5 Joined: 21-March 14 Member No. Once theyre clean, you can put them on display or add them to your rock collection! Over 1 billion years ago, magma pushed up into the Front Range of Colorado. Your reward will be a treasure trove of agate and chalcedony. The Pikes Peak batholith consists of Pikes Peak granite and hosts all of the important Colorado Front Range pegmatites. . Its also found on the slopes of mountain gem fields, such as those on Mount Antero. Seed being sown over site. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It does not store any personal data. The Tree Root Pocket. If youre prospecting on Devils Head Mountain (Douglas County) in August, youll join millions of ladybugs for their annual gathering on the summit. For information about restrictions, contact the nearby Bear Creek Regional Park Nature Center." from 'Colorado Rockhounding' which includes a site photograph and map. JEEPN4GOLD/Google. Dont miss it if you decide that youre going to go rockhounding in this state! There were some surface pegs and some really cool phantom like smoky quartzes found by some members at the time. | Rockhounding Near Me 15,381 views Jun 29, 2020 #MiningAmazonite #PikesPeak #ThatCampingCouple We 480 Dislike Share That Camping Couple 65.7K. Crystal Park Dillon, MT Phone: 406-683-3900 Additional Information: Activities Amenities Crystal Park is a unique recreation area at an elevation of 7,800 feet in the Pioneer Mountains in southwest Montana. By the second day, it became apparent that the pocket was large. Colorado through the years has continued to produce a diversity of high-quality and important fossil specimens for museums and collectors worldwide. That said, its also not going to make you rich. : 117,147: Hi! Actinolite, Almandine, Azurite, Beryle, Chrysocolla, Epidote, Kyanite, Pyrite, Quartz crystals, Tourmaline, etc. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. All of the best Two Point Mine pockets are oriented in a near horizontal position. For the hardy adventurous soul in good physical condition, the are riches to be found high on the exposed slopes of Mt. The best of Al Ordways pieces is on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Amazonite with smoky quartz, Two Point Mine, Teller County, Colorado. Be safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect specimens. Its No Croc: Visit The Best Alligator Farm In Colorado! Most of the terminations took a beating inside the pocket from natural events; the collecting procedure did not damage them. Crystal Peak is a Class 2 hike in the Tenmile Range SW of Breckenridge, CO. American . It is up to the individual to identify these boundaries and seek permission before attempting to prospect on the claims. The Fort Collins area has some very interesting rockhounding locations, particularly the areas of the aptly named Specimen and Crystal mountains. It is one of the few locations where true botryoidal fluorite specimens can be found. The color is best described as deep blue-green, one of the nest amazonite colors. Before repair work, photographs were taken of each group. With over 770 types of minerals to be found, its second only to California in the number of different gems and minerals statewide. Over 1 billion years ago, magma pushed up into the Front Range of Colorado. Youll have to either know someone or find one of the unclaimed areas to get your own specimens. A rock pick or folding shovel is a great idea. The formation has basically divided the area into a lower and upper unit. Graphic by Bill Tanaka. I'm new to the site. CMS has access to areas not always available to the beginner going it alone, and can help guide newbies as to where to go and what to look for. Rocks are the history books of ancient geologic times. The best way to collect rocks and minerals is by using a hammer and chisel to break them open. improvement in digging and repair techniques during the l990s, the potential for future important large nds is very good. Careful pocket documentation and repair work will yield higher percentages of ne specimens than ever before. discovered 2 meters beneath the surface, inside a collapsed pocket, eventually named the Tree Root Pocket. The following article provides some basic information on safety, rockhounding tools, collecting and our responsibilities towards the environment. The pit was opened using a Caterpillar 977 front-end loader. The rarer material is what most people are looking for in Colorado. Where To Go Rockhounding In Utah Dugway Geode Beds. Crystals of Arkansas Rockhounding USA US Join us as we travel across the USA in search of rocks, minerals, fossils, and Native American artefacts. The area around Pikes Peak seems to be the hotspot to find the stone in Colorado, but its found in many places across the state. Market acceptability of nely-repaired specimens will give the eld collector the incentive to save and repair important pieces. Rockin . RockSeeker.com is reader-supported. Hundreds of excellent amazonite specimens were collected from it, many containing balls of white albite. If you travel four miles west of Wolf Creek Pass, you will discover an outcrop of zeolite. The plates containing albite balls, amazonite and quartz created a beautiful array of color. Some pieces reached 75 cm across and weighed over 100 kg. The joints are almost undetectable and care must be taken that the working face does not peel away when one is near. Website. These areas are usually between 2100 to 2700 meters in elevation (Foord and Martin, 1979). Colorado is also host to a dizzying array of rocks and minerals. The pegmatites form where the intrusive rock has cooled much slower than the surrounding granite, allowing larger crystal growth to occur. Minerals found in the area include fluorite, quartz, calcite, zeolite, and aquamarine. W of Gold Camp Rd & High Drive, Below road of Eureka Tunnel, W side of stream, Colorado River valley & side canyons W of Grand Junction, Willow Creek, many mines (mostly private now, get permission), Rockhounding on Public Land: Laws and Regulations, Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? Crystal Peak is a USGS named summit in middle of the northern Sierra Nevada Diamond Mountains, on the border of Lassen and Plumas Counties, roughly between Reno and Susanville as the crow flies. It was already over 1 meter deep. This is the most common microcline form found at the Two Point Mine. Its a great way to get outdoors, explore new places, and learn about geological history. Pikes Peak is a bucket list location for many rockhounds. Salida Colorado - Travel Colorado Recreation, Business, Relocation and Restaurant Vacation Guide. 4) Not really a good place for fossils or gemstones (there's not much to be found), but do check out Garden of the Gods. Though much of the good prospecting in this area is on private property or on current mining claims, the adjacent National Forests can be a spot for rockhounds to find Amazonite and Smoky Quartz. Photos (6,647) Directions. Hahns Peak is a summit in Routt County, Colorado, in the United States. The Stateline Kimberlite District. Colorado is well known for its unique combination of amazonite and smoky quartz crystals. A few individuals have resorted to more aggressive mining techniques using mechanized equipment, including bulldozers and backhoes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There are are many areas which are known to contain petrified dinosaur bones and gastroliths, as well as opalized wood and agate. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The mine dump is visible one-quarter mile south of the highway on a low hill across Trout Creek. Is Iron out ok to use? Schematic of an intact amazonite and smoky quartz pocket. The lenses are often dome-like in appearance, and produce the crystal pockets. However, because of the terrain and vegetation, these marked claim boundaries are sometimes difficult to see. It's a private community, and you're not allowed to collect minerals within the area. Many pockets are also empty or contain only quartz. It was . Fortunately, the same laws dont ban you from the wide array of simpler fossils that can be found. The Tree Root Pocket contained possibly the highest number of ne amazonite and smoky quartz groups ever documented from the Lake George region from a single pocket. The company entered into a lease agreement with John O. Buckner in 1995 for the Two Point property. Also, a tree root grew downwards along the pegmatite and into the pocket; it was one of probably hundreds through the years that grew into the pocket and slowly broke it apart. The last time I had gone on a true mineral-hunting "vacation" was way back in 2005, when I went to Bancroft, Ontario, the mineral-collecting . With over 770 types of minerals to be found, it's second only to California in the number of different gems and minerals statewide. The list of amazonite prospectors goes on and on it is beyond the scope of this article to cover them all. Within a week, the pocket had opened up to 2 meters wide and about 1.7 meters deep. This pegmatite did not open into a pocket. Get to know this 12.1-mile loop trail near Breckenridge, Colorado. The area is known as the best amazonite hunting ground in the world. where recreational miner Joseph Heiden is rockhounding. Pit B, the original discovery pit of Two Point Mine, did not yield anything but broken quartz crystals. Photo by C. Baldwin. Some rarer specimens are replaced with opal due to higher moisture levels. During the 1970s, several signicant nds were made there including one pocket that contained single amazonite crystals and small groups with the best deep blue-green color recorded up to that time. This site contains a detailed process for accessing as much information as possible through these means. The pegmatites generally lie horizontally. The color graded from medium to deep root beer brown giving them the varietal name of smoky quartz. The broken root (left center) was followed directly into the pocket. About 100 ne pieces were removed in addition to several hundred lesser pieces. They are generally lighter brown in colored mounts that line the hillside. The tree root wound completely through the pocket to its very end, wedging and forcing the plates in all directions. Pit B was where the ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey had shown favorable target areas. Photo by G. Herman. Modern mining has stringent reclamation standards, therefore some of the pits dug the previous year were lled in, recontoured and seeded. Oregon-Washington Utah Wyoming Home Visit Topaz Mountain Rockhound Recreation Area Topaz Mountain Rockhound Recreation Area Phone: 435-743-3100 Email: utfmmail@blm.gov Address: Fillmore Field Office 95 East 500 North Fillmore, UT 84631 Latitude/Longitude: 39.6665, -113.11455 Directions: 55 miles west of Delta via US Hwy 6 and paved county road. For my next free day. Careful pocket documentation and repair work will yield higher percentages of ne specimens than ever before. During the puzzle work, a few of the pieces were nally cleaned yielding the biggest surprise to date. Generally considered a challenging route. Most of the crystal group dismemberment involved the separation of amazonite from quartz. Cherry Creek prospecting tips. Now featuring over 90 locations (with 27 new sites) where collectors can explore, the beautifully assembled guide is hard to beat for a state as diverse and treasure-filled as Colorado. [4] Hahns Peak was named after Joseph Hahn, a gold miner who, with companions William Doyle and George Wray came to the area in the 1860s. Collectors have the opportunity to find beautiful agates, amethysts, garnets, jaspers, opals, and even the occasional nugget of gold. Search in the southern areas near this mine, and you will find plenty of geodes of all sizes. If youre planning on heading to the field, make sure you have all the gear youll need! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Using a backhoe, Jerry would open up potential holes in the pegmatites on their property and allow folks to dig in them. Miarolitic (meaning mineral-rich) cavities are the result of released gases that provide an irregular void allowing crystals to grow unhindered. No signicant smoky quartz associations were recorded from that period. Collectors Edge Minerals, Inc. had the opportunity in 1996-1997 to mine in Teller County, under a lease agreement, using mechanized equipment. It is common to have three or four pegmatite structures in one area. Sounds like you had a fun time at Wigwam Creek. Two of the most popular for rockhounds to dig in this state are topaz and rhodochrosite. There were no white caps inside the pocket. Turns out Mother Nature made, and buried, some really impressive display pieces in the area! In the eld, every piece removed from the pocket was carefully grouped and marked according to pocket location. It took two months to find all of the fits. Access to the claim and Mine is via a 4-wheel drive road trail that is accessed from Lake George, Colorado by driving north on public roads through private property onto National Forest land. The most famous is Crystal Peak. Get out there and start rockhounding! Crystal Peak is a high Colorado Thirteener and one of the 100 highest peaks of Colorado, also known as "Centennial." Crystal falls in the 100 highest at #82. Photo by Dave Roter. Not all Amazonite is jewelry-quality, but even the worst sample is going to make a vibrant, colorful part of your collection. Crystal Peak is the best area but most of it is under claim. Options. If youve already found a rock and youre not sure what it is, I would highly recommend checking out my Practical Rock Identification System. The former would suggest the pegmatites postdate the magma cooling event. The property was owned by Jerry and Thelma Hurianek. These were looked at during the 1998 mining season but are not reviewed in this article. In the tight connes of the pocket, the roots created extensive damage to the amazonite groups; the quartz terminations received the worst. All 50 States Answered, Rhyolite, Perlite, Apache tears (black rubies), Spessartine, Topaz (yellow), Feldspar, Quartz crystals. As always, take care never to go underground when searching. Thus, the roof plates had fallen straight down onto the plates growing up from the oor. On Crystal Peak's summit above 9,600 feet, scholars sat and sketched the valley's first geologic map, according to history compiled by the Florissant museum. Amethyst geodes, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Moonstone, Quartz crystals. These claims were worked extensively in 1981 and yielded about 1000 kg of specimen grade amazonites. Though most weekend prospectors did not stake claims on the public land on which they found specimens, some did stake and file claims to prevent others from encroaching on their property. To get to Wolf Creek Pass, the driver must be wide-awake as the road can deceive you. Located southwest of Buena Vista and high above the Arkansas River Valley, Mount Antero is part of central Colorado's pegmatite belt, where veins of exceptionally coarse rocks contain large concentrations of rare minerals. Petrified wood can be found in many scattered locations across the western U.S. If you are going to be spending time exploring the rocks, gems, and minerals of Colorado; consider a guide book like Gem Trails Of Colorado. Jack Buckner, owner of the Two Point Mine, holds a beautiful specimen just completed. If the pegmatite was very strong, i.e. If the pegmatite was very strong, i.e. Golden, Colo. Photo by Ron Wolf. Rockhounding is a great hobby for people of all ages. Teller Co., Colo. Collection of the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum. You can even order some shale from the location and crack it at home, in case making a trip out isnt in the cards. Allanite, Astrophyllite, Epidote, Garnets, Hyalite Opal, Hornblende, Magnetite, Sphene, etc. Pit A yielded one pocket of good quality amazonite single crystals without associated quartz. At least two major north-south trending fault systems run the length of the Two Point Mine. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. The lens then opens into the beginning of a pocket. The first step in cleaning the pocket contents is a simple wash. (1) A stream valley is carved into the sedimentary rocks of the Pogonip Group. Market acceptability of nely-repaired specimens will give the eld collector the incentive to save and repair important pieces. I encourage you to check them out if you are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting. Much additional geological information was collected from eld observations made during the 1997 work. The Two Point Mine, located in Teller County, Colorado sits approximately 8 kilometers north-east of Lake George, Colorado. I wouldlove to collect some rocks/crystal/fossils while I'm there. By the end of the first day, four killer specimens had been collected. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Many outstanding repairs were discovered, including this one. Whitewater: Whitewater is one of the few locations where you can find geodes in Grand Junction. Much of the potential prospect area in recent years has been placed under claim. The later ts into the more classic model of pegmatite formation through magmatic differentiation during the late stages of cooling. Nearly 1,000 feet of the Tunnel Spring Tuff is visible many miles away as its startling white color varies from that of the surrounding landscape. While it was a little different this year with the [], Shortly after the 2020 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, the Collectors Edge acquired an impressive new batch of Amethyst quartz [], Collectors Edge Minerals, Inc. recognizes and thanks Rocks & Minerals for permission to use portions or all of their original [], Diamonds in Colorado! Looking for the best Rockhound locations near Colorado Springs?Look no further as we offer the best areas in Colorado Springs to find rocks, crystals and minerals for your collection.Find out what minerals or crystals you can find and where to hunt for rocks near Colorado Springs.Rockhounding near C. Rockhounding and Mineral Collecting . Dinosaur fossils discovered in Colorado represent a diversity of dinosaur groups from all three periods of the Mesozoic Era. However, at least two ne amazonite and smoky quartz pockets were discovered on the claims preceding the 1981 dig. Its found primarily in a few mountain ranges in central Colorado. There have also been sightings of the gemstone in El Paso County, Colorado. The areas marked A, B, C and D are pits excavated during 1996 and 1997. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. In 1858 William "Green" Russell and his party even briefly set up the gold camp "town" of Russellville south of the modern town of Parker on Cherry Creek. Snag a few pocket-sized baubles that catch your eye, or load actual buckets of finds for a tiny fee. The Black Rock Range geode mine is also a great place for rockhounding. These magnicent specimens came from claim Number 8 of the old Gem Mines and dazzled Europeans for the first time (McNulty, 1983). Once a discarded byproduct by an early silver mine, it has now become highly sought after. Reclamation work at Pit c. For every hour spent digging amazonite, an hour is spent reclaiming the surface. A few miles north on County Road 2 accessed via Highway 40. The St. Peters Dome district in particular is famously for its quality mineral specimens. The blue-green color varied slightly from the edge of the pocket to its center. In the late 1800s, prospectors first struck gold along Clear Creek near Central City. Two kilometers to the southeast of the Two Point Mine lay the famous Gem Mines where Albert Whitmore mined amazonite in the late 1800s through the 1920s. The best places to collect rocks in Arizona include the areas around Phoenix and Tucson, as well as smaller towns such as Cave Creek, Clifton, Morristown, and Kingman. The eastern part of the state is generally more accessible and, despite its lack of mountains, produces many rock and mineral specimens as float transported by rivers and streams. Pit B was also revisited and it too was drilled and shot extensively. You will discover this rock paradise 10 miles south of Grand Junction. Rockhounding, Rockhounding end of March. The granite is of a finer grain, containing crystals of quartz, feldspar, and mica less than 0.6 cm. But there is a little-known hobby that hearkens back to the state's gold rush days still practiced today by 21st-century miners using the same hand tools that explorers used hundreds of years ago. . Local mining prospects, stream beds, pegmatite veins provide a vast array of minerals for collectors including lapis lazuli, garnets, marble, tourmaline, and even some gold and copper. The many area pegmatites, old mining dumps, and area streams contain fantastic specimens of minerals such as agate, fluorite, zircon, and fluorite. Late in the summer, the difficult cleaning work begins to yield some outstanding specimens. But, even when putting the pieces side by side, it was very difcult to tell the difference between one which formed near the pockets edge and one formed near its center. Atero, Chafee county The Turret Mining District Golden Gate Canyon Devil's Head Wolf Creek Pass Pike's Peak The Bachelor-Syracuse Mine The Old Hundred Gold Mine Loosely defined, a gem is a mineral that has been cut and polished to make jewelry or other sorts of adornments. Its a little bit soft for rings, but it works well in most other types of jewelry. Many old prospectors search for pockets by following tree roots. At an elevation of 6,386 feet above sea level, an igneous deposit of rhyolite has been pushed up to the surface. These formations often house what youre looking for, but finding them isnt easy. The pegmatite bending made following pegmatites a difficult job and care had to be taken not to dig. One of these pegmatites opened into a high-quality amazonite pocket and produced about 30 nice amazonite and quartz groups ranging in size from 6 cm up to 14 cm. The amazonite color was incredible! Several of the amazonite plates contained snow-white albite balls that measured to 4 cm and two pieces contained 1.5 cm cassiterite crystals. Head for the Black Rock-High Rock County and scout for agates, fire opals, geodes, obsidian, topaz, malachite, or malachite. Much damage was caused by this collapse. Colorados state mineral is rhodochrosite (well-known areas are near Alma). However, because of the terrain and vegetation, these marked claim boundaries are sometimes difficult to see. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Colorado is also host to a dizzying array of rocks and minerals. They include limestone, granite, sandstone and shale, as well as gravel beds, clay and even can you believe? In some areas, the fault systems bound course-grained granite intrusions up to 2 meters wide. They reached 17 cm in length but only averaged about 6 cm, their luster is near-glassy. However, I have compiled a list of resources here so that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found here or elsewhere) for yourself. The pocket was packed with clay and contained only amazonite, no smoky quartz. Colorado is well known for its unique combination of amazonite and smoky quartz crystals. And as an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission on qualifying purchases after clicking on those links, at no additional cost to you. Note the hard graphic granite layers above and below the pocket opening. The pockets measured between 20 to 40 cm in diameter and 5 to 8 cm high. But, hey, you dont know whats going to turn up when youre out in the woods. With the influx of miners and prospectors into the state, it wasnt long before the rich deposits of the San Juan Mountains were discovered, leading to the creation of towns such as Breckenridge, Creed, Telluride, Ouray, and Cripple Creek. Theres more to the mineral than that, however. Mineral County is certainly deserving of its name, and has long been a destination for hopeful rockhounds. Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. Mining Amazonite for FREE in Colorado! Probably why it was unclaimed! There is little or no movement along them. The state gemstone of the wonderful state of Colorado, this brilliant clear blue crystal can often take a bit of an adventure to find. The vast mountains of public lands, while daunting to some, illicit a newfound sense of exploration and discovery for others. Now that you have the supplies you need, its time to start looking for rocks and minerals. amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IEX2TEO,B0002YWWVE,B08N41884X,B01CV1XW5K"; Important Disclaimer: I have not been to these locations myself, and I do not know if they are currently open for collecting. There is a huge variety of rare minerals and gems in Colorado. If this was a pocket-bearing pegmatite, the pocket would occur just under the arch in the center of the photograph.