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Porcupine Hill quarry is an excellent place to find almandine garnets, quartz crystals, beryl, albite, biotite, fluorapatite, columbite, and tourmaline. Pegmatites are also source rock for rare minerals (for example eosphorite, phenakite, hydroxyl-herderite) and micromount specimens. After breakfast, the caravan of cars, trucks and SUVs heads off for the days mining trip, and Mary turns her attention to camp operations and preparing one of her memorable suppers. You wouldnt want to be breaking laws or trespassing. The Maine State Museum in Augusta contains an exhibit of superb tourmalines and other crystals and gems from Maine. Considering what knowledge and information one can learn to access the precious gems that could lead to hefty payouts, its worth the membership fee. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Everyone approaches rockhounding in their own way, with their own goals. Many of the best minerals in Maine are found in an igneous rock called "pegmatite", which is a very coarse-grained granite. Use the Maine Aerial Photographs map to review photo coverage and availability. Traces of gold have been detected in widely scattered bedrock ore deposits, but most gold prospectors wash the gravel from stream beds in search of nuggets. Like pilots, mineral collectors love to share their activity and their know-how. Apatite (Auburn) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, View all hotels near Mt. Gardening forks and trowels can come in handy. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Beryl (green, golden), Mica, Columbite, Fluorapatite (clear, green, purple), Fluorite, Feldspar, Quartz crystals (clear, milky, smoky), Schorl, etc. Some owners of mines and quarries will allow clubs to rockhound on parts of their property chiefly their dump piles for a fee, but they wont allow individuals to do the same. Maine Mineral Adventures, which Zoltan and Jody Matolcsy own, is a recreational mining guide service in western Maine. Rockhounding in Maine is a great way to discover the states diverse geology and fossilized wildlife. She is a Rock HOUND / AHOLIC. Taking samples in Maine State Parks is prohibited without special permission. Do not use carpenter hammers, Hoffelder said. Bean in Freeport are within convenient travel distance from the mining district. This information is essential for gemstone and mineral finds, since provenance is paramount to us and to our clients, and should be for you as well. Hundreds of people explore the state each year in search of crystals, semiprecious gems, gold, and other minerals. % Rockhounding also known as field collecting or recreational mining is an outdoor activity in which everyday people search for valuable gems, fossils and other mineral treasures buried in the earth. Like most of the interesting material in Maine, you're primarily looking for pegmatite to dig into. And discoveries of more gem-rich veins of pegmatite are still being made. Like pilots, mineral collectors love to share their activity and their know-how. Plenty of other walkers with dogs on these trails periodically. The most important factor in assessing the legality of rock, mineral, and fossil collecting activities is the legal ownership or possession of the specimens being collected; the question of the ownership and possession of those specimens is the starting point for further legal analysis. Share sensitive information only Tip: Check out my Complete Rockhounding Guide for tips on planning your rockhounding trip and getting the most out of your time in the field! Examples of metamorphic mineral occurrences include the kyanite and staurolite crystals in mica schist at Windham, garnet crystals in schist and calcium-rich rocks at numerous places, and vesuvianite crystals in Sanford. Campton NH 03223, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recreation/rocks-minerals/recarea/?recid=79485&actid=73. . There are various gemstones in Maines old mines and quarries, including tourmaline, quartz, opals, rubies, aquamarine, amethyst, and topaz. Mt. Each of these states has distinguishing geology that will be of interest to . TTY: Maine Relay 711 LockA locked padlock Quarry for finding many different rocks. This is because of the variety of minerals, crystals, and gemstones. Rockhounding New England: 7 Gorgeous Locations To Find - Yes Dirt Maine's surface geology is full of high-quality pegmatites. Take the Mine Trail to your right to the abandoned mine. In Maine, they are typically made up of desirable crystals like feldspars, garnet, quartz, and various species of tourmaline. Maybe Ill see you at breakfast. 98% of travelers recommend this experience. The best places to rockhound in Maine are in old quarries and mines in the southwestern part of the state, particularly sites like Deer Hill, Lord Hill, Tamminen and Waisanen quarries, Mount Apatite, and Pingree Ledge quarry. Tourmaline is Maines state mineral. amzn_assoc_linkid = "aac5e87b1ca95eb9841c18e11fbbd48f"; Quartz, Feldspar, Beryl, Mica, Tourmaline. They love rocks and our initial reason for the visit was to check out the rock mining but they ended up loving the trails, scenery, and quite honestly, the mica and quartz they were finding on the trail itself. The most commonly listed primary commodities in Oxford mines are Gemstone , Beryllium , and Feldspar . Pingree Ledge Quarry is near Albany and is an excellent place to find milky, smoky, and clear quartz crystals. These pegmatites are essentially volcanic intrusions with unusually large crystals and they make for the perfect source rock for collectors. Share sensitive information only Rockhounds can also visit the Square Pit, Havey, Trenton, and Alice Staples, which are all near Topsham. These mineral collecting areas are relatively easy to access and offer a wide variety of rocks and minerals including albite, tourmaline, amethyst, feldspar, and quartz. Maine houses numerous locations packed with various crystals, minerals, and gemstones. That said before you head out exploring, you should check this list to ensure youre not wasting your precious time. Maine is one of New England's most popular rock-hounding locations. Re: Best locations for rock . I even found a couple of small frogs on the trail. The number one thing to remember while collecting rocks on ocean beaches are the tides. Important Disclaimer: I have not been to these locations myself, and I do not know if they are currently open for collecting. would you know where I could find info on hunting up on the mountain? Albite, Garnet (almandine), Arsenopyrite, Beryl, Mica, Calcite, Cookeite, Fluorapatite (purple, blue), Lepidolite, Quartz, Schorl, Spodumene, Topaz, Zircon, etc. Turn left on to Foxboro Road staying right for 2.1 mi. Located in Androscoggin County, Maine, the Camps has been serving the interests and enthusiasm of rockhounds of every age and level of experience since the 1960s. In Maine, they are typically made up of desirable crystals like feldspars, garnet, quartz, and various species of tourmaline. Its the thrill of the hunt, said Tom Hoffelder, president of Oxford County Mineral and Gem Association. A family membership includes couples or spouses and any children younger than 18 years of age living in the same household. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. PDF Mount Apatite Park, Auburn, Maine 2021 Columbia, SC Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show. Theyll take you to a site, supply you with hand tools and offer assistance in mineral identification. Dudy (pronounced Duddy) Groves died in 2005, but Mary Groves and a committed corps of volunteers are keeping his dream alive. Here, rockhounds might find beryl, almandine garnets, quartz, Microline, muscovite, biotite, and fluorapatite. Northern Maine Minerals | Greenville ME Maine is famous for its gemstone production and the many mineral sites exposed due to glacial withdrawal. Nowadays, feldspar and mica are no longer mined in Maine. A disclosure: On some outings to the pegmatite quarries, the driver of the caravans lead vehicle is me. An official website of the If youre rockhounding in the quarry wall, you can uncover gem pockets. You can cover biology, ecology, and geology easily in the same park. The Ryerson Hill Quarry and Crocker Hill Mines are two more great rockhound locations. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Some pegmatites are enriched in uncommon minerals such as beryl, topaz, and colored tourmaline; they may also contain very rare species or large crystals of various minerals. FindingRocks.com - Maine Locations Hounds can find high-quality items, including (not limited to) biotite, limonite, malachite, wulfenite, anglesite, bornite, calcite, cerussite, epidote, hematite, quartz, and smithsonite. The aptly-named Jasper Beach near Bucks Harbor is a great place to find some colorful jasper pebbles, and Loring Cove near Perry is known to turn up agates and other minerals like bloodstone and amethyst. The little town of Paris, in Oxford County, Maine, is an excellent intersection between a few different rockhounding sites. Guided mineral collecting tours to multiple sites are available through the following. endobj As well as to the guidance and education of their members and the public who wish to pursue hounding. Master Faceter, Avid Rock Hound, World Traveler, Tamminen, Pingree Ledge, and Waisanen Quarries. For those who cannot attend in-person meetings, the club holds e-board meetings. You can also read through my free rock identification guide and mineral identification guide which are filled with useful information and tools. The purpose of the club or association is to bring people together that share interests in geology and mineralogy in hopes that through the exchange of info and various specimens, everyone involved can benefit in some way. Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Dig Me. At the junction with Horseshoe Pond Road (right) continue straight on the Mine Road approximately 0.5 mi. We suggest setting aside the day for rockhounding and exploring the area. Gradual uphill grad , easy to negotiate, wide path. ) or https:// means you've safely Waisanan Quarry and Tamminen Quarry are .1 miles further down the road. Before we dig really deep, lets take a peek at some of the prime rock-hounding locations in Maine. This site contains affiliate links to products. OCMGA holds a gem show during the second week of July at the Telstar High School gym. The gymnasium is full of specimens dealers have for sale and displays to enjoy. Volume 1: Descriptive Mineralogy. The most commonly found and collected rocks and minerals in Maine are: Amethyst Beryl Biotite Quartz Tourmaline Garnet Feldspar Fluorapatite Columbite Jasper Amethyst From the open ledge behind the upper quarry, a blazed trail goes north-east a short distance to a scenic overlook of Horseshoe Pond and surrounding mountains. dacf@maine.gov As for the rock hunting we found a lot of mica, some black tourmaline, some matrixed garnet but nothing jewel quality or green tourmaline. Rockhounding in Maine, is some great rockhounding, in fact some of the best rockhounding the American Geode team has ever experienced because of the ease and accessibility of the Maine mines! and park BEFORE the gate, take a hike up through some amazing trees and into an unused mine. website belongs to an official government organization in the If you are coming to get rich forget it. Even if you are on land that is generally open for public use there may be privately owned mining claims inside those boundaries and youll need to get permission to collect on that location. The museum is also home to a world-class meteorite collection that includes the five largest pieces of the moon found on earth, the largest known piece of the Vesta asteroid and an igneous rock. Campton NH 03223, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recarea/?recid=79453, White Mountain Recreation Fee Program Accomplishments. They can also be an incredible way to meet other rockhounds all around the planet. You can also Many sites that used to be popular with rockhounds are now closed, including the sites listed here. Why? Bring the SPF Protection most suitable to how fair or how dark you are. Knoxville Gem & Mineral Society 2021 Show! Its like my wife said: the kids are a lot closer to the ground, so a lot of the time, they will find better stuff than the adults.. Maine Rockhounding Location Guide & Map - Rockhound Resource