Wulfenite is not a common or popular mineral in many parts of the world. But, in Arizona, everything changes. In this southwestern US state, Wulfenite joins petrified wood, turquoise, and copper as a state symbol. Wulfenite became the state mineral of Arizona in 2017. If you’re wondering about the name, well, it was earlier called […]
Rockhounding
Gold isn’t the only mineral that people are looking for. There are countless other gems and minerals that you can still go out and look for today. Some of them are even quite valuable!
Where to Find Oregon Sunstones & Fire Opals
While Oregon has much to offer by way of its natural beauty, an equally colorful treasure is hidden beneath its trails—gemstones that shine brighter than the sun. Because of the state’s long volcanic history, it has become one of America’s leading producers of precious stones. In fact, Oregon’s state gemstone is a type of feldspar, […]
Find Shark Teeth at Myrtle Beach Every Time!
Rockhounding at Wiley’s Well | Southern CA Public Land Collecting Sites
Driving some 25 miles to the southwest from Blythe in California, you hit upon the Wiley Wells – one of the best semi-precious gem fields in the state. The area is populated with ironwood, mesquite, smoke, and palo verde trees. There are quite a few rockhounding sites that could be reached with a 4-wheeler. Regular […]
Natural Turquoise Mines & Locations | Southwest USA
It is the beauty of nature that it turns simple things into the most beautiful and precious bits and pieces. How very pleasant to see simple, earthy materials turn into shiny gemstones with the path of time. This is the course of nature. An object which seems worthless takes the shape of the most precious […]
Palladium Mining | Geology, Occurrences & Extraction Techniques
Palladium is a lustrous silver-white colored metal that doesn’t lose its shine at ordinary temperatures. It is currently the most valuable metal amongst the other four precious metals of the world because of its rarity. Just a few years ago this obscure metal was valued considerably lower than gold and platinum. Palladium belongs to the […]
World-Class Gem & Mineral Display – See it in Denver!
If you find yourself in Denver, don’t miss out on one of the finest gem and mineral collections anywhere! The Denver Museum of Nature and Science hosts the collection. It contains amazing specimens from all around the world, with a heavy emphasis on pieces found right there in the state of Colorado. Rhodochrosite is one […]
Gold Panning & Rockhounding in Yellowstone National Park
Let’s state this right upfront so nobody gets into trouble. Gold prospecting and rockhounding are completely off-limits within Yellowstone National Park. You cannot dig or collect anywhere within the park boundary, and you could get in serious trouble if you do. With that said, there are quite a few places just a short drive away […]
The Geology of Gemstone Formation | Where, How & Why
The majority of the gems form naturally within the Earth, shaping up as minerals and crystals. Most of the gems form as crystals, which are basically solid that boosts highly organized and ordered atoms, arranged in repetitive patterns known as crystal systems. As we learn about the crystallization process of minerals and the geological patterns […]
Amethyst Mining in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Thunder Bay is located on the northern shore of Lake Superior in Ontario province. It is world-famous for the production of high-quality ancient amethyst crystals. The amethyst mined here is famous for its variety that ranges in colors such as colorless, smock, lilac red and different shades of purple. The luster range widely depending on […]
8 Locations to Find Fossils in Idaho
This article covers a variety of different areas in Idaho where you can find fossils. Please note that some of these areas do allow collection for personal use, but many areas are off-limits to collecting! I am going to include these locations to make this a good comprehensive list, but please be aware of any […]
Diamonds found in California | Exceptionally Rare… but YES!
There are a few locations in California where diamonds have been found. However, the overall occurrence of these gemstones is quite rare, and there are no true diamond mines active in California. Most of the documented finds have been made by gold miners. The diamonds are not in hard rock. Rather, they are found as […]
Labradorite – Where to Find it & How it is Mined
Discovery and Source Labradorite is a mineral which was first discovered on Paul’s Island in Labrador, Northeast Canada. It has been known by Inuits native to this area for millennia, and more recently found by Moravian missionaries in the late 18th Century. Other deposits of the mineral have been found in Newfoundland, as […]
Find Moss Agates in Montana’s Yellowstone River
The mountain ranges in Montana are enveloping breathtaking beauty and immensely mesmerizing views of the valleys and rivers. They are home to some amazing treasures. Today we are going to talk about one of the states most famous stones, the beautiful moss agate. Various form of agates are common throughout the United States, with different […]
Hunting for Fossils & Petrified Wood in Mississippi
Fossil is a term used for any preserved remains of an object. There can be fossils of prints like footprints, leaves or their impressions, bones, shells, plants, rocks and many other things. With the passage of time, layers after layers of soil cover a matter, and that is the reason we find fossils mostly in […]