Written by Justin Zzyzx – Author of “Rockhound Barstow”
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Justin Zzyzx inspecting boulders at the Noble Prospect.
I just love exploring the nooks and crannies of the hills and mountains around Barstow California. The area around here is known for the beautiful geological formations all around, such as Rainbow Ridge, as well as the silver mines of Calico, once a silver boom town, now a commercial tourist attraction. Barstow, a perfect place to set up base and explore the Cady Mountains, Afton Canyon, Opal Mountain, Mule Canyon, Alvord Mountain, Yermo’s rolling hills of alluvial agates and jaspers and so much more. There is a veritable treasure chest of mineral adventures to be had in these colorful hills, visiting is a thrill, and I, as a resident, love to take full advantages of these rock deposits.
As a frequent leader of field trips and author of the “Rockhound Barstow” field guide, I’m always looking for new places to take people to collect interesting minerals and lapidary materials. My personal favorite is finding places where there are both nice crystallized minerals, as well as colorful lapidary material, that way, out of the dozens of rockhounds who have joined me over the past year on each monthly field trip, everybody is happy with what they can find. Exploring mining information on MRDS.org, I noticed several mines located in the Northern parts of the Calico mountains. I could see, just 10 miles away from my pistachio grove I call home in Newberry Springs, there was a Wollastonite mine, a Nickel mine and an Arsenic mine, all bunched up to the West of Coyote Dry Lake.
View looking out to Coyote Dry Lake from the un-named Nickel deposit
On our first outing to this string of locations we tried to access it from the East, coming up Coyote Dry Lake road. The dry lake was not as dry as we expected, in fact, it was quite moist and with no desire to go “muddin”, we turned back and tried the other way into the area, all the way around the Fort Irwin road passage, 20 miles to the West. Fort Irwin road is a VERY busy two-three lane road that connects Fort Irwin to Barstow and highway 15. Fort Irwin, a large Marine base, requires a large amount of workers from the Barstow area to work the service industry jobs, as well as the tech jobs, along with all the contractors, you can imagine this is a very busy road. We drove through the pass on the West side, looking at all the remains from the silver mines that made the Calico district what it was and what it is today. The ore was mostly chloragyrite, a silver mineral that is toxic to process, proving to be costly and environmentally unsound, so, the silver mines stand dormant, forever.
Entering on Madrugador road, Eastbound from Fort Irwin road, you pass by a Wollastonite deposit to the North, which we inspected with little of interest to be found, then, continuing along on this fairly smooth, slightly rocky road we turned off to the Northeast on a power line road which then takes us directly to the Wolly Wollastonite #5 deposit, a long abandoned deposit of this interesting white mineral. Some field guides have published this location, however, they always refer to it as an Onyx deposit. Onyx, a name for Calcite, is found at lots of places around the Calico mountains, however, at this deposit, there is only the non-stop white bliss of massive Wollastonite.
Long fiber Wollastonite crystals on the surface of massive Wollastonite
Wollastonite is a mineral that can be found as part of a Skarn deposit. Common related minerals are Grossular Garnet, Calcite, Quartz, Hedenburgite, and Epidote. The grains of the skarn deposits can be quite dense, leading to amazingly hard stones that can be worked into lapidary objects like vases and pillars. The wollastonite here was most likely mined for use in the pottery industry. Wollastonite, CaSiO3, a Calcium Silica Oxygen mineral that often has impurities of iron, manganese and magnesium, all elements found in abundance across this mountain range. Crushed, this powdered rock would be used for adding to clay, reducing cracking when ceramics are fired in a kiln, as well as added to paint base, a filler to make paint thicker.
At the Wolly Wollastonite deposit we would find tons of massive white wollastonite with the choice mineral specimens being the small bits and thin plates of acicular “long fiber” wollastonite crystals, which form flat on the surface of the rocks and boulders. Along with these, a bit of orange Grossular garnet can be found forming in the sharp borders between the wollastonite and the county rock. Finding larger pieces of this material is uncommon, but possible, however bits of wollastonite with thin areas of garnet are fairly common along the waste rock piles. In the quarried areas, along the rock wall, you can see several veins of garnet, but, in my opinion, they are not terribly thrilling. One thing is for sure, the guides that have continuously pegged this as an Onyx deposit can now be corrected in the next printing! The deposit takes up the Northern side of this far outlying mountain, spilling out of the most Northern part of the Calico mountains. Various bits and smears of other minerals have been spotted, like epidote and hedenburgite, so with further exploration you might uncover something interesting.
Spessartine garnet masses found in conjunction with the wollastonite deposits of the North Calico Mountains
A few months before I decided to visit this Wollastonite deposit, I was told by a gold miner in the Hesperia area that there was a Wollastonite deposit up in the North Calico mountains that had terminated grossular garnets. Wollastonite forms as a part of skarn deposits. One of the best mineral deposits in these formations are calcite pods with glossy grossular garnets underneath. Locations around the world produce specimens like this, the calcite acts as a blanket for the garnets, protecting them from any harm, until we, rockhounds, remove them from the ground and soak them in acid to dissolve the calcite and reveal the beautiful garnets underneath. While massive garnet is found at the Wolly Wollastonite deposit, the lack of calcite pods at this and every other Wollastonite deposit I’ve visited has turned up fruitless. Yet, chasing this lead has brought me to explore some infrequently visited areas of the rocky desert hillsides.
Going back in reverse from the Wollastonite deposit, you can head South in the first turn, which is a wash that leads up to the solid hillside and upwards on a road that leads to a former Nickel deposit, resting on this craggy spire, a semi steep climb leads to a non-connecting circular road around the peak. From here you have spectacular views of the valley below, the vast white/tan of Coyote Dry Lake, the Coptic monistary, and hey, I can even see my house from up here! Looking at this location from the comfort of my home, with my imported mine marker data from MRDS, I could see this Nickel mine and also find out more information about it. It referenced a mention in a a Southern Pacific Railroad booklet on Mineral of Industry, Volume 3, which mentions the deposit geology as “niccolite, arsenopyrite, annabergite, and uvarovite in a verticle silicic dike that strikes NE along a shear zone in hornfels and quartzite.”
View from on top of un-named Nickel deposit
Off we went, to go visit the un-named nickel deposit. The wind on our first visit makes the location very memorable. We can have wind gusts over 65 miles an hour on some days around these parts and that day the wind was so forceful we were quite worried we would be swept off the mountain. Maintaining a tight foothold, we explored the area, looking for bright green crystals of annabergite and chrome green uvarovite garnets. Instead, we found the meaning of “silicic dike”! All of the minerals we have found at this location have been frozen in blocks of silica. While this does not do anything for us mineral collectors, it makes for a unique lapidary material. The same stuff as the classic German “Nickel Quartz”, this green stone takes a nice polish and the contrast of white and green makes for an interesting stone. Floating around in this silica, tiny bits of chrome green uvarovite garnet are found, while nothing to write home about, they do add a little something to some of the slabs and tumbled stones we produced out of this ore. If there were crystals here, this could be one of my favorite locations, but even in massive lapidary form, this in a rare treat in terms of mineralogy, a geat view-point in this area of the North Calico mountains and yet, just one of many locations in a short distance in this mountain range.
Tumbled nickel quartz from the un-named Nickel deposit
Just off to the Southwest, the road takes you to the Puerto Negro mine, a series of rock dumps that stop at a mine entrance a few hundred yards south of the beginning of the dumps. This is an Arsenic mine that produced an arsenic rich ore with the occasional bit of calcite and realgar. While I have not found many specimens at this location, the few I have found have been quite uncommon, orangy red realgar in layered clear calcite crystals. Drive North to connect back with the power line road and drive over to the next canyon to the South, taking Madrugador Road, home to several prospects for copper and gold, before heading back out to Fort Irwin Road. These gold deposits do not have much in the way of collectables for mineral or lapidary enthusiasts, however, they do produce chunks of calcite and masses of red, iron stained, quartz.
Entrance to the Arsenic Mine, the Puerto Negro
From here, it is time to go across Ft. Irwin Road, just a few hundred yards to the South, a road stretches out towards the Northwest, reaching out to several locations were crystals and lapidary materials can be found. The road is a very nice, mostly smooth flat desert dirt road. There are a couple tiny washed out areas, but most any passenger car can navigate the area. Immediately to the North, a small set of ridges spread out, the ridge to the West of the hills contains two locations to explore. A massive Barite locality called the Ball mine and a funky Wollastonite deposit with some odd rocks to be found. You pull off this new dirt road and into a wash road that loops around, park here and hike into the mountain valley to find the Ball mine, which is easy to see and high up on the hillside.
The Ball mine was a series of tunnels and surface workings that produced massive white barite, which can be found in abundance as lumps of heavy white rock. While unassuming, when exposed to UV light, these lumps glow a pleasing green and pink. There are tons and tons of this material laying around the mine adits, so you will have plenty to choose from. Continuing North into the canyon you will come across a Wollastonite deposit that has bits of calcite and some black rock that is said to be chromium bearing.
Rockhounds collecting Garnets at the Nobel Prospect
Back on the main dirt road, you continue Northwest for a mile or so until you come across a faint road headed South which leads to a large pile of rocks in the middle of the flat desert. It is unusual to see a pile of rocks such as this, however, this outcropping of rock is a happy accident for all of us. Here you can find a great deposit of Onyx, a flowing series of banded tans and yellows, along with bright red caused by iron impurities, along with areas of quartz, in the center of the stones as well as on the surface. Druzy specimens of quartz and calcite can be found, the only drawback is the size of the matrix they are sometimes attached to! The large chunks of stone cut to reveal beautiful patterns, while being nice and crack free, solid cutting material. It is remarkably easy to find, within a half hour at the location, cutting material to keep you occupied for days and weeks.
Sliced Travertine from the large travertine outcrop in the North Calico Mountains
Traveling only another thousand yards to the West along the main dirt road, you come across the Noble prospect, a mineralized zone consisting of a short canyon wash to the East, with short adits that pushed out garnets, quartz, epidote and calcite. While we were hoping for garnets trapped inside calcite pods, these garnets are frozen in a quartz matrix, an while crystals can get up to an inch across in size, there is no way to free them from the host rock. Still, terminated garnets can be found in this area and the masses of quartz, epidote and garnet make for interesting lapidary materials. Just a short distance from this wash, a road takes you a few hundred feet to a bench in the mountainside, filled with boulders containing calcite crystals and quartz druzy, the druzy areas measuring up to and over one foot in size on several of the boulders. The trick is to find specimens that are small enough to take home. Several pieces showed evidence of layers of quartz covering and replacing the calcite crystals, which make for very interesting mineral specimens.
At the Noble Prospect, Boulders of Calcite with Crystals growing in vugs can be found.
Calcite crystals plucked from the walls of the Noble Propsect.
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Or, hey, here is the map…
Being a field trip leader is a rewarding experience for some people. People who serve as field guides get the opportunity to take people to interesting locations they might have never seen otherwise. In our hobby of Rocks and Minerals, we are looking for places where samples of minerals can be found, such as minerals featuring distinct crystals, or solid minerals, things a lapidary artist would enjoy, to cut and polish. Fossils, natural formations and other odds and ends round out the range of natural science themed excursions. For those individuals who step up to the challenge of field trip leaders and guides, this is my tale, take from it the bits of advice I, Justin Zzyzx, discovered first hand.
Over the course of a decade, I have lead mineral collecting field trips for individual clubs I was a member of, clubs I was not a member of, the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies, public field trips to advertise my natural science themed art gallery, paid trips with tickets for Atlas Obscura and for over a year, a private run monthly field trip service. During that time I had to research locations, go on terrible trips, go on amazing trips, get lost, get found, get insurance, advertise, fix cars, fix people, change plenty of tires, pop plenty of tires and met hundreds of great people.
Becoming a Field Trip Leader –
 If you are just thinking of stepping into the ring as a field trip leader, my path starts like many others, going to a local rockhound club. From here your path can follow two directions, simply participating in whatever outings the club has and taking the experience from that, or, by furthering your experience by being a helpful participant and offer to lead additional trips or fill in for the field trip leader a month or two. Many clubs experience a bit of burn out when it comes to field trips. It is a somewhat stressful job to be in charge of a group of people’s entertainment. As such, many clubs find themselves in dry spells when it comes to field trips. Sometimes a little bit of fresh energy is a much needed thing, so check out the local scene and see what the general vibe is towards local collecting spots. Club members can be a wonderful source of information on local collecting spots. In addition to the first hand sources of going on field trips with leaders, there is plenty of research to be done with books, the internet and field research.
Books and Your Research Library –
 Over the years of field collecting I’ve made it a habit to buy as many field guides from any age and any print style. Locations that might have been popular 80 years ago, then fallen out of favor might resurface from investigating old field guides. Important information that got skipped over in future editions, or vice versa, information in contemporary guides that might save you time! From this information field research can begin, because one of the most important rules of leading a field trip should be…One Should be INTIMATELY FAMILIAR With the Location Before Taking Any Group. For there could be fewer things in life as painful as wasting the time of any number of people expecting you to take them somewhere and understand what the deposit is about.
 You should own a copy of this field guide and go Rockhound Barstow California!
You can find contemporary and classic books for sale on amazon and ebay by using the links on this page http://wheretofindrocks.com/field-guides/ and also at your local bookstores. I’ve personally had the best luck at mineral shows and buying on ebay and amazon. ebay tends to be the place where you can find all sorts of oddball field guides and lots of regional guides you would only find online and at local rockshops of the area. In addition, members of your local rockhound community can be the best sources for literature, as they might be able to direct, sell, loan or otherwise help with sourcing local rockhounding literature.
 The local library is often a wonderful source for local mineral collecting literature. For example, while visiting a location 2500 miles away from my home, I found at the library some documentation talking about the mining districts in the 1910’s. I then matched these locations up to a current map and saw that TWO of these location were on land that I could visit and inspect for minerals. Dig deep and you can be rewarded with historical information that can turn up some amazing re-discovered mineral deposits.
Initial Field Research –
 Visit the Location Beforehand and Collect Samples I would rather not take people on a wild goose chase. I did that one time and if I can help you avoid it, my heart will sing. Early in my days of leading field trips, I took a group of 8 individuals up the Garcia Trail in search of the Felix Fluorite deposit, just overlooking a vast neighborhood near Azusa California. What I did not know was, the deposit is not UP the Garcia trail, that is just where you START, after 100 feet you hop off and up to the deposit via a fire road that is snaking alongside the hills, not going STRAIGHT up it, like the Garcia Trail. After an hour of strenuous hiking, several of the participants cursed my name and vowed to never go on another trip with me. At that moment I vowed to never make that mistake again!
Now I make sure I have personally visited any location I plan on taking people to, no surprises. I try to map out alternative directions, ease of use, parking areas and identify where the guests will be collecting and locate a few samples to have on hand on that day. It might be easy to find parking for a handful of cars, but a few times I have had upwards of 50 vehicles all pouring down one lane tracks in the desert, wondering where they will all line up and how they will leave. At the very least, all locations must be visited twice, once beforehand and once for the actual trip. The best locations are ones that you are VERY familiar with, ones you have spent time visiting, researching and so forth. There are several locations I have visited well over a dozen times, places I could, and in fact, have given, educational talks about. That is how well I want to know a location I will take people to. I mean, a little less than that works too, but to really love and understand a deposit, that is a place that will love you right back.
For example, Rancho Palos Verdes California. It is a PERFECT location for field trips, for research, for developing literature of its own. RPV (and the surrounding areas of this peninsula off the south west of Los Angeles Harbor contains a variety of crystallized minerals, fossils and plenty of public areas where collecting is permitted and encouraged. It has a story involving a land deal/mining claim gone dirty to allow for housing tracts in this once rural farmland. It has ample scientific study material to draw from, both past and current, interesting geological features, along with plenty of natural features to keep people interested. I have given no less than 20 trips to RPV to collect crystallized dolomite, barite and play in the tidepools with the starfish. I have given a 45 minute talk to several clubs in the Southern California area on the subject of this very peninsula. That is why field trips to this location are a favorite of mine to lead, can be done at a moments notice and so forth. If I was a field trip leader of a club in Southern California, a trip to Rancho Palos Verdes would be a yearly pilgrimage.
 I spent at least 3 years doing weekend adventures with my working friends. Many of my now lifelong friends joined me for many of our private adventures. You can be sure that several places visited during that time would fit right into my list of regular locations. It is ALWAYS advised to have one or more friends out with you when exploring. Safety. You have no idea how many crazy adventures would have been that much worse if I did not have compatriots. It is these trips that, when they end in failure, who cares? You are hanging out with like-minded individuals, enjoying the trip. Finding the minerals, on private prospecting trips can often be a happy accident. On a guided trip, that BETTER not be the case!
 My crew of local collectors have a list of locations we visited a half a dozen times or more before we found them. Like stupid STINKO california…well, That is what we call it. Cinco, a location for Feldspar crystals, it is SO EASY to show you EXACTLY where it is on a map today, but for our group, we went to that place nearly 10 times before finding the correct deposit. The blackberry bushes used to be my bane at the Mount Baldy Corundum location, now, I try to plan a trip there in August to enjoy the fruits along the PATH into the deposit that we could not find until our 9th trip into the river valley. I can easily feel confident taking up to 60 people into that location, knowing all of them will find quality materials, that it is relativity safe, easy to get to and legal to collect at.
Make a List of Viable Locations –
This step is highly variable. Some guides focus on just one or two locations. Perhaps they lead a regular trip for one specific group. My local attraction near my house does a private tour of underground workings of an old silver mine. That is the only tour they offer. They know that tour REALLY well. I, on the other hand, can take you to 12 locations, easily, to collect minerals and lapidary materials within a five mile radius of that place. Having access to open BLM land makes the task quite a bit easier. Depending on the area you are in, having a location where you can bring small and large groups to might be a challenge. One option is to limit the amount of people that can go on a trip. This is not an uncommon solution.
 Once you are familiar with your area, make a list of places and start working the pro’s and con’s on taking people to the location. Access, Safety, and Material. I do not mind taking people to a location that is “sub-par” like, for instance, the tiny quartz crystals by Mount Baldy are not show-stoppers, but they are THERE and such fun to find and in such a beautiful location, it was worth-while, even if the material is just so-so. I also love to do double trips, if possible, go to a location that is good for lapidary and one that is good for crystals. Some trips I’ve lead have gone to three locations in one day without any complaint from the collectors. I find most collectors are ready to head out after an hour or so, moving them to a few locations can stretch their interest out a few hours. Pay to play locations are ok, most of the time. Not the scam salted dig sites, but the gem dumps in Southern California, the Sunstone mines of Oregon, the Quartz mines of Herkimer New York. Many of these locations make great trips for rockhounding groups. Don’t be a afraid to find the best places to use in your field trip list.
Insurance –
 One of the perks with rockhound groups is by being a member you are covered by the Federation’s insurance policy. Rockhounding can be dangerous. It is up to me to create as safe as an experience as I can. Accidents happen. Accidents can be expensive. You better be insured. To make sure you are covered, it is worthwhile to purchase liability insurance if you are leading private field trips. If it is just myself and a couple friends and an accident happens, that’s up to fate. If something happens while on a sanctioned club field trip, the Federation’s insurance policy covers it. When I lead field trips for a public tour group as a freelancer, they covered the insurance policy. When I lead private field trips, it is my duty to provide insurance coverage. In my experience it is typical to find a rate for a year of 1 million dollars in liability coverage for around $800.00 USD as of 2017. Insurance is a must have.
Safety and First Aid –
 There are two things to consider – How can we prevent an accident from happening BEFORE it does and How can we be prepared for an accident if it does happen. My first step is making sure that everyone on a trip I lead understands the basic “Rules of Rockhounding” with my own little tweeks. My personal add ons are –
#1 – Leave all the animals alone. You can do what you want on your own time, but with me today, please leave all animals, lizards, bugs, birds and other wildlife alone.
#2 – Children love to climb, but not today. If you see a really amazing loose tallus slope to slide down, more power to you, but not today on this trip.
#3 – 100% NEVER allowed to enter mine tunnels, adits or undercut a digging area. Come back on your own free will, I tell the visitors, if you want to explore underground, however I advise against it 100% of the time if for NOTHING else then, see the part about Insurance.
 Even while you must tend to an injured field tripper, other participants are unaware, and are still rock hounding. Both are your responsibility. If I allow any of these to happen, I could potentially void the insurance coverage. What we need to avoid is Negligence. In addition, being trained by your national safety organization
in First Aid, like the NSC here in United States is a valuable skill for any human. Click here to learn about First Aid Training by the NSC.
A first aid kit is a must have for every field trip leader. At the very least you should be able to issue ibuprophen, bandages for minor cuts and scrapes, at the worst, be ready for someone who could break a bone or sustain an eye injury. You make sure people who are hammering are wearing appropriate safety gear and being mindful of those around them, and then, making sure that people exploring are aware of the people digging, you can avoid eye injuries. Sure, it can seem like you are “restricting” some people’s fun, but safety should always be a TOP concern.
 A first aid kit like this is perfect for the rockhound field guide
You can get this on Amazon for a steal! https://amzn.to/2sshYj1 Preparing for Vehicle Troubles –
Flat tires, busted oil pans, bring to me your problems, oh, field trippers and I will make sure to spend the extra hour to make sure you make it home!
Think about having the following…
• Road building tools. Usually the same stuff as rockhounding, make sure you can dig out someone who is stuck in mud or sand.
• Carpet scraps or two, for under wheels of stuck vehicles.
• JB Weld Clay. Holes in various pans can be very problematic. JB Weld clay can be used to patch holes in oil and transmission pans.
• Oil and transmission fluids. If space permits, having a spare quart or 5 can be VERY handy.
• Duct Tape – more patching!
• Tire inflator – Like this one
• Tire Patch kit – If it was a puncture by a sharp tire on the tread, this is very handy!
• Jumper cables – because, dang it, we left the lights on and the radio on and the phones charging and I don’t know why this dang thing went dead…
Promotion and Options –
There are several reasons WHY you are interested in being a field guide. You might be leading people to one or two locations because it is commercially related to another business, like mine owner tours to their own mine. You might want to participate in your local club, hopefully you are already and simply reading this for fun. You might see a commercial viability in leading field trips, as there is, to an extent.
Basically, whatever I’m covering in this niche can be applied to most natural and outdoors topics. I could just replace the words rocks and have been talking about hunting antique marbles, making gravestone rubbings, geocatching or IDK, whatever topic someone might want to share with a group of interested people.
Here is what I did.
In 2003-2006 I lead field trips for various clubs and one trip for the California Federation, as well as attended many lead by members of the Mineralogical Society of Southern California.
During 2006-2008 I would simply take friends out collecting and join club field trips. During this time we were also traveling for 6 months filming over 250 mineral collecting locations all across America and Canada.
In 2009 I started doing free public field trips where I would simply post on various online bulletin boards in the Los Angeles Area and invite people to join me at a specific time and place for the trip. I would have between 2-20 people join me on those trips.
 2010-2012, I used these to promote my natural science art gallery. We would host quarterly, free public field trips.
2013-2014 I was being contacted by various groups and individuals to lead private paid field trips. My favorite was Atlas Obscura, who would sell the tickets for a field trip for $40, they would sell out within a week and those people were some of the happiest rockhounds I ever met!
Around 2015 I had moved to the high desert and I was still doing free public field trips. During one of these trips I met Cyndy and Lois, who were local club members in the Victorville/Hesperia area and informed me that the local clubs were lacking field trip leaders. They opened a wonderful rock shop in Hesperia and it was not long before we came up with the idea of doing a paid monthly field trip. For $40 you got a 6 month subscription to the field trip list. Once a month you would get an email telling you where and when.
For those 6 months, you could come, or not come, at your own discretion to each month’s trip. The costs would be insurance and the tour guide’s wages, but for the sake of the business readers, let’s say, $800 for a year of insurance, let’s say $3000 for your field guide ($250 per month), you are at 100 users per year to break even, or 50 paid tickets every 6 months. Anything above that is gravy, so if you are a shop owner and want to try something like this, there is a good reference number. I’m not 100% on how many tickets were sold during my 18 months of field trips, however, I’m certain we beat these minimums quite handily.
Conclusion –
If you want to get into this position as a member of a rock club or to promote your local interest, if you want to simply share the joy of Rock Hounding to the public, it is best to be prepared with;
 Knowledge
Time Devotion
Safety Training
Reasonable People Skills (hopefully)
For this, you can have the joy of spreading the topic of your interest and parlay that into writing articles, giving talks and additional paid gigs. If you found this article useful, feel free to link to it on your club website, facebook account or include parts of it for reprint in your club newsletters.
Spectrum Sunstone Mine- Dig Your Own Fiery Gemstones in Oregon
It is very rare that a mine producing something as gorgeous and valuable as Oregon sunstone and the folks at High Desert Gems and Minerals are allowing you to do that at their site located northeast of Plush, Oregon in the High Desert! Featured on the History Channel’s Cash and Tresures, The Spectrum Sunstone Mine currently produces some of the most gorgeous gem sunstone out there in amazing colors, but mostly hues of red and orange but some amazing exotic colors too like purple, green, watermelon, and schiller-effect material. This gem can only be found in Oregon and nowhere else in the world. To be specific, this sunstone is a variety of labradorite but appearance and chemistry wise it differs from the classic, bluish iridescent material from Madagascar or Finland. There is nothing out there quite like them, a truly unique and gorgeous American gemstone.
 gorgeous freeform stones cut from Oregon sunstone by master gemcutter Dalan Hargrave- dalanhargrave.com
About the Gem-
Unlike many precious gems such as diamond or sapphire, sunstone is prized for its variations of color and inclusions. Many faceters prefer to work with these inclusions when cutting stone, adding to the uniqueness to each piece. The high hardness (6.5 to 7) gives this gemstone enough durability that it can be set in jewelry without much worry of chipping or cracking the stone. Value of these stones varies from tens of dollars per carat to thousands and depends on color, saturation, and how the inclusions if present catch the light. These beautiful colors and inclusions are formed by inclusions of copper that precipitate from the molten feldspar as it is crystallizing. The copper included gem sunstone is extremely unique to Oregon. Many amazing carvings by the finest artists in the world have been made from sunstone rough, highlighting the amazing degree of variation held inside.
History-
Sunstone is Oregon’s state gem, granted that status in 1987 after being recognized by the US government as a gemstone in the 1970s. Interest in Oregon sunstone and mining for it in the Plush area was happening decades before the 1970s, however. Sunstone was a prized stone collected by Native Americans who were likely the first people to ever assign value to the gemstone. They believed the sunstones held great power and would even bury them with their dead.
There is local Native American lore about the sunstones, and they were used ceremonially among certain tribes. The legend goes as follows: An ancient warrior was hit by an arrow in battle and his blood dropped on the ground, where it scattered on the sunstones, giving them sacred power. It is not only the beauty, but this power that the natives valued and drove them to use these beautiful stones in their jewelry.
 Collection of sunstones in the Jacksonville (OR) Museum believed to have been brought into the area by Indians. Sunstones didn’t gain popularity among europeans until beautiful, desirable material was discovered in Scandinavia in the early 1800’s and Eastern Siberia in the late 1800’s. Later on, settlers discovered deposits of sunstone in Oregon’s Warner Valley and interest grew in mining these stones. In 1908, Utah prospector Maynard Bixby announced his findings Tiffany & Co. of New York City acquired mining claims in the Plush area in the early 1900s which they no longer mine. One of these claims, which they did previously mine is now the Spectrum Sunstone Mine!
Interest has continued to grow to the point where many private claims and several commercial mines have been opened, the Spectrum Sunstone Mine offering some of the finest, deeply saturated material to the public to dig! Chris Rose and High Desert Gems and Minerals has continued the legacy of mining for this special gem and has opened many world famous sunstone mines, 11 total, producing a dazzling array of gems. Here is your chance, provided by High Desert to take part in the legacy of mining your own American gemstone.
Geology-
Sunstone forms in basaltic rock laid down in a giant lava flow and were formed around 15 to 16 million years ago. The source of this rock were volcanic eruptions that built the terrain of eastern Oregon. The sunstone itself is a form of feldspar, specifically a calcium rich labradorite. This labradorite is very different from the bluish shimmering material from Madagascar and elsewhere many of you likely have seen.
Feldspar is an important rock forming mineral, one of the most significant worldwide but that with the high gemminess and color of Oregon sunstone is very rare. The sunstone forms in unique flows of porphyritic basalt. The term porphyritic referring to large crystals suspended in finer grained matrix. These crystals are the sunstones and they formed within the lava freely floating before it cooled, so they became suspended in a finer grained rock matrix. Porphyritic texture in basalt is relatively common, but most of the time the feldspar porphyroblasts from elsewhere are opaque and never worth saving. The Oregon sunstone deposits are some of the few mined for this kind of gem material. The presence of copper in the flows of the Plush area, which give these gems their color is unique to the region.
Although basalt is very abundant in the Pacific Northwest, the basalt flows produced in the various eruptions during the region’s past are small and produce some chemical and geologic variation regionally. The geochemistry and petrology of these rocks still needs more detailed description, so there is a lot of opportunity to research this area in detail for anyone academically involved
Mining Yourself-
The Spectrum Sunstone Mine is a patented mining claim and is open daily to fee digging seasonally from May 15th to Nov 1st . They are open to mining from 9am to 5pm every day! The site is located I the remote Oregon high desert. Remember to bring plenty of snacks and drinking water to the site. It’s pretty far out there! It is a good idea to brig your own tools and bags to the site though loaner screens are available. The onsite shop also sells some tools. You will need a screen, buckets, shovels, rakes, baggies for your finds, and if you plan on working the pit a hammer, chisel, prybar, and other appropriate rock breaking tools. Some of the roads getting to the site are rough, so be sure your vehicle and the driver can handle it. Here is a map above and directions from the High Desert’s site:
When driving from the south follow these directions :
(Stay on the main roads according to our directions. After Plush, OR… if you are unsure: do not turn unless there is a sign that says sunstone (some of the signs are very weathered). You will cross 5 cattle guards on the dirt road.)
Follow highway 395 north through Lakeview, OR and then head east on highway 140 towards Adel.
After mile marker 15 you will see “Plush Cut-off” sign, turn there (left).
Set odometer at Hart Mountain Store in Plush, OR to 0.0 miles.
Follow road (Co. Rd. 3-10, a.k.a Hogback Rd.), (which takes a sharp bend to the east at 3.6 miles).
At 5.2 miles the pavement ends, continue on dirt road.
At 10.1 miles turn east (right) onto Co. Rd. 3-11.
Go 1/2 mile (reads 10.7 on odometer) and turn north (left).
(Do not turn until you reach the next sign…)
At 19.2 miles you will see the “Sunstone Area 5 miles” sign, turn left.
Slow down!! Dangerous curves, especially at 20.4 miles and 22.4 miles.
After the cattle guard you will see several mines in the distance. We are the furthest mine… look for the tipi!
24.1 miles turn right on road after passing Dust Devil’s sign. You will be heading towards the Public Collection Area.
(If you are expecting to arrive at night please set up camp in Public Collection Area (follow signs)…continue directions in morning!)
Take the first left or the second left (before reaching Public Collection Area bulletin board)! Follow the road. Please sign in at the office, and don’t run over the sage brush.
IF YOU ARE DRIVING FROM THE NORTH, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.
From Bend, Oregon take highway 20 east to Riley. Take highway 395 south. Turn left – east- on Hogback Rd (near mile marker 64 – which is north of Abert Lake). Follow Hogback Rd. until the turn for Co. Rd. 3-11 (about 19 miles) where you turn left. Continue with directions above from Co. Rd. 3-11.
They offer several kinds of mining in different price ranges you can participate in.
High Grade Conveyor Belt Run-
This option allows the miner to go through unsorted material immediately coming from the mine! Material is passed down the conveyor belt and is just washed off by water by you to reveal the gems. The cost is $200/hour and though steep, allows you access to premium material immediately as it comes out of the mine. Approximately six tons of mine material are processed per hour through the conveyor, so it is definitely a high volume dig.
High Grade Ore Piles- The mine offers high grade piles of ore you can search through for $150 to $200 each. Water available for washing. You get to keep everything as always!
All You Can Eat Buffet Ore Pile- The miners will pile up concentrate for you to sort for over the course of two days! This is a great choice to get the sunstone mining experience and to score some amazing gems. It’s a great family activity and is perfect for groups! Limit is 2 people for $300, 3 for $350, 4 for $400, and groups of 5 or more for $100 each extra.
Pit Digging- For $100 to $200 per person, you will be allowed to dig in the high grade pit with tools! Perfect for the avid rockhound and those who really want to understand the geology behind this deposit or just do some hard rock mining.
Mine Run Material Through Mail- If you want to get your hands on some Spectrum Sunstone Mine material now, you can buy mine run high grade and have it delivered right to your house! They run about six tons of ore through the conveyor and send you what they pick out after one hour! It isn’t the same experience as digging your own, but will hook you up with some awesome material.
Accommodations-
Primitive camping is available free of charge at the site as well as RV camping. Electricity hookup is not available for RVs. Cabins are also available with provided hot water, showers, and restrooms for $45 a night or you can stay in a tipi for $40 per night! Bedding and cooking supplies not included- you bring your own.
A general store for supplies is located nearby but otherwise this location is very remote. Please plan appropriately. See www.highdesertgemsandminerals.com for more info.
Sources:
http://www.doubleeaglemine.com/HistoryOregonSunstone.html
https://www.highdesertgemsandminerals.com/html/spectrum_sunstone_mine.html
https://geology.com/gemstones/sunstone/
http://www.dalanhargrave.com
https://www.oregongeology.org/milo/archive/MiningDistricts/LakeCounty/UnclassifiedDistrict/SunstoneAreaClaims/SunstoneAreaReport.pdf
http://www.4facets.com/sunstone.html
https://oregonsunstoneguide.com/mineral-data.html
While researching mineral locations for the field guide “Rockhound Barstow” we noticed a few different fluorite deposits listed with vague pinpoints associated. One of our favorite spots to visit is the area south of Afton Campground.
 Highway 15, halfway between Las Vegas and Los Angeles with Afton and Basin, the West and East ends of Afton Canyon seen and the popular agate/jasper collecting spots of the North Cady Mountains in the lower half of the map. Afton Canyon is a remarkable place, featuring dramatic walls surrounding miles of washes leading into the Northern Cady Mountains, a wonderland of agates, jaspers and various mineral oddities. To the North, there are two exits that will take you from the 15 down to Afton Canyon and the North Cady’s. Afton Road will take you to the campground and for those with 4×4, you can take the Spanish Trail East and you’ll pop out on the other side of the mountain, otherwise accessible by Basin Road, the next exit Northbound on the 15 from Afton Road. Taking Afton Road will get you to the campground where you can proceed into the area on foot, or, by taking Basin Road, you can drive to the deposits on rugged dirt/rock/sand roads.
 Afton Campground with parking, leading to the large canyon, Pyramid Canyon, with the popular collecting site Hanging Canyon seen in the center, just to the East of Pyramid Canyon. For our trip, we can go two ways. We can drive in on Basin Road and then take a series of washes and mountain roads and bam, you can drive right to the fluorite prospects. It is a tough drive and with some satellite maps and planning, you can attempt to reach the location via vehicle. We do not go in this way. We walk in from Afton Campground, through Pyramid Canyon. You start by going under the railroad bridge and across the shallow waterway of Afton Canyon to head South into the giant canyon wash. This wash continues for about 1.6 miles taking you through some magnificent large canyon walls, ending at a giant block of black basalt with a waterfall opening some 100+ feet from the bottom. Instead of walking to the back, we walk up a switchback .2 miles before the end, which takes us up to the top of the canyon. A road and path lead you to the upper wash, which would spill out into the lower wash we just hiked up. This whole area is a treasure box of crystals and lapidary goods, with different things found on different hills. Tons and tons of red and yellow jasper is found all over, zeolite included agates and jaspers, crystals of quartz and calcite and even some odd-ball zeolites, casts and epimorphs are found tumbling out of the basalt hillside. The basalt here features areas of intense gas bubble inclusion, resulting in literally MILLIONS of quartz pods filling the ground. Some of these have crystals, some of them did weird things, like replace zeolites and anhydrite, some of them have calcite on top of quartz, sometimes the quartz is over the calcite. It is a fun, uncommonly visited, vast in area, place, most often visited by people in search of agates and jaspers.
 The Pyramid Canyon wash leads you to the near end of the lower canyon, then a out of use dirt road takes you up and to the Eastern side of the canyon and up into the black basalt deposits that make up the upper part of Pyramid Canyon.  Satellite view of the basalt hills at the end of the Pyramid Canyon heading to Afton Campground. At the bottom of the photo you can see the “Mixing Bowl”, to the right of that the Fluorite deposits are found. Continuing South on the upper wash of Pyramid Canyon you come to what we call the “Mixing Bowl”, which is an area that had three washes mix into it, making what looks like a pool in the wash. To the South there is a 10 foot waterfall wall which most can scale up with little assistance. To the SouthEast there are two washes, both of which lead to the Fluorite deposits of Afton Canyon. Yet, they are not really terribly close to Afton Canyon, we just had to walk nearly 2.7 miles to get there, from Afton Canyon. Maybe the Fluorite deposits of Near the wash that leads into Pyramid Canyon did not have the same ring.
 Satellite view of the “Mixing Bowl” near the end of the wash above Pyramid Canyon  Mixing Bowl near the furthest point of Pyramid Canyon. Waterfall to the Right leads to the Cattail fossils, to the Left is the wash that leads to the Fluorite deposits.  To the North of the “Mixing Bowl” there is a 10 foot tall rock wall, a former waterfall, you have to climb up, or down. If you hop up the waterfall you can walk over to a deposit of “Cattail” reeds, or Typha. You will see hundreds of reed stalks along with dozens and dozens of pods of seeds, the familiar “Cattail” part, which have been turned into quartz and calcite geodes, sometimes with banded red and white jasper/agate. Those ones are particularly showy. Some lapidary collectors have taken advantage of the pretty banded agate/jasper available, yet literally tons more are there, not including another deposit further North with the same type of material. More deposits of Typha fossils must exist in more locations in these hills.
 Fossil Bearing Matrix of Typha, Cattail reed fossils. They have been silicated and contain colorful jasper and quartz crystals.  Cattail or Typha, fossilized and replaced with a core of quartz crystals. You can see two of them in the center of this photo.  Hollow casts of Cattail fossils found in Pyramid Canyon From the cattail fossil site, there is a road that takes you Westward towards the Basin Road area via a DEEP dip Southwards via Baxter Wash. Just a short distance West on this road and a faint turn off will be visible on the North side of the road. This turn off leads you to the start of the Fluorite prospects.
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 The Boulders to the side of the wash contain numerous fossils of Cattail reeds. Note the faint road to the side. This road is navigable from Basin Road.  After 2.7 miles of hiking, we found the start of the Fluorite deposits of Cady Mountains. The area is quite long, up to a mile of prospects dart the hillside. The fluorite found here is green and purple and requires some real work to move hard rock and discover undamaged crystals that have not been hit by the sun. The sunlight turns these green crystals to a bleached white, as with most fluorites. Even with the sunbleached specimens, the UV reaction on these is amazing, LW, the most common type of inexpensive UV light source, makes this material GLOW!
 The white areas in the distance are all prospects for Fluorite. The deposit spans nearly a mile in distance.  Crystals of Fluorite hidden away inside a pocket on a boulder at one of the many prospects for Fluorite in the Headwaters of Pyramid Canyon.  A few specimens of Fluorite we found as we were looking for the Afton Fluorite Deposits.  Skin of Green Fluorite on Matrix  Spheres of Fluorite on Matrix. Originally Green, faded in years of sunlight. As you can see from these photos, hard work and tools are required to unearth new, colorful specimens. After learning about the historical mixup on the true location of this deposit, we hightailed it to the location and hiked the 2.8 miles of washes, switchbacks, trails and amazing scenery that if you are near this area, you really should come and see. We had to hurry and hike back out just as quickly so we could get out before nightfall. While we did not uncover any amazingly bright green crystals, we did not dig, we just examined what we found on the ground and in the ground at the prospect holes around the area. It takes about 1 hour to walk from the campground to the “Mixing Bowl” waterfall in the upper part of Pyramid Canyon. Driving into the area takes about 45 mins to an hour from Basin Road. Walking in you get some serious exercise! Driving in, you can haul a lot of tools. Walking in you really get familiar with the landscape and areas, driving in, you get to business. Either way, the Fluorite deposits 2.8 miles South of Afton Canyon, near the headwaters of Pyramid Canyon, are ready for you to come and visit.
Plenty to see and explore all around this area for those fit enough and respectful enough of our beautiful desert mountains.
During the month of September the city of Denver Colorado hosts a group of shows where depending on your interest, you can find amazing things to see and buy!
 The show is like other popular regional shows in that it started as a club event that got so big that “satellite” shows would pop up, which then spawns the tent cities and specialty shows that cities like Denver and Tucson experience. Being a rather large city, Denver had several clubs that hosted shows around the city at different times of the year. While they still do, in 1967 several clubs joined forces to produce one general event, featuring club cases, dealers from around the states and programs. This is the centerpiece of the Denver mineral shows. This show happens on the 2nd or 3rd weekend of September and this highly attended 3 day event is what ends a now week plus group of shows around the city.
So, if you are a first time visitor to the Denver Mineral Shows, or a seasoned pro, this year is going to feature some big changes to the classic show from a few short years ago.
 Starting out, the biggest change in show locations is the major move from the CLASSIC Martin Zinn Expos production at the Ramada, just a couple miles from the big club show. As collectors started coming to the Denver club show earlier and earlier, the Ramada was used to give an early showcase to some dealers for over 30 years. Now that the Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show has matured into a powerhouse, it is strong enough to move to another location, which is the Crowne Plaza, located near the Denver Airport.
This show has the classic mix you would expect from the Ramada show, everything under the sun you could want, some of the most interesting wares, several wholesale vendors, this show is a must visit. With over 170 vendors, this show has something for everybody and with the new ballroom style, it is not as claustrophobic as it might have been in the hotel rooms of the old Ramada.
Visit them at RockyGems Presents the Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show There are 1000 parking spaces and free admission.
The place with the most diverse mixture of minerals, fossils, gems and beads is the Denver Coliseum shows, which include the arena area of the Coliseum, hosting a variety of dealers selling rocks from $1 to thousands, plenty of great deals on polished rocks, slabs, fossils, cabochons, jewelry, mineral specimens and more – upstairs you have dealers circling the hallways, a perfect place to visit for families and all ages. Lots of great displays to take pictures with, plus, for serious buyers, a giant tent area filled with dealers of bulk minerals and fossils, some HUGE in size!
Tons of free parking, plus the show is now spilling out the side into the National Western Complex, located right next to the Coliseum, with shows on all three levels. The “third” floor, which is actually the second floor from the street level of the complex, features the new Denver Mineral Show, featuring some great mineral dealers, a few select fossils and several dealers who dig what they sell. Find out more about this show on the Coliseum Show website This show runs from the 9th until the 17th, from 10am-6pm every day – you’ll notice the billboards featuring the show all over the city. Free admission and free parking for all the shows at this central location.
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While the Ramada is now no longer a mineral show, the Quality Inn, across the street is still going strong. There are plenty of raw rock and jewelry dealers to be found here and plenty of metaphysical dealers. That show runs from the 9th til the 17th with free parking, hopefully more plentiful now that it does not compete with the Ramada visitors.
 For serious mineral fans the Denver Fine Mineral Show at the Denver Marriott West, near Golden. The show starts on Sept 13th and is over on the 16th, overlaping slightly with the main show, a bit of a change from the previous years of having the show a week before the main show. This show features a who’s who of fine mineral dealers. You can find beautiful well crystallized minerals in a natural rainbow as well as the periodicals and magazine publishers covering these types of dealings. It is a real thrill to see all the minerals at this show and there is something to take home, no matter your budget (but, a big budget doesn’t hurt!) You can find out more on the website for the FineMineralShows The show is free, the parking is free, not a great place for browsing families, more like a selection of museum items you could buy.
It all ends up with the “Main Show”, the Original Denver Mineral Show at the Merchandise Mart. This show features amazing display cases, educational displays, kids activities and an amazing array of mineral and gem dealers, all of them showcasing wares they have been saving for this great event. Free public talks are given all day and you’ll be lost in a sea of rocks and minerals you’ll want to take home. This show is paid admission, $7 for adults, $15 for a 3 day pass. Parking is free.
What do you want?
 Tim Dorris from the Prospectors TV Show in his family’s room at the Colorado Minerals & Fossil Show Meet dealers you buy minerals from online? – Denver Coliseum, Denver Mineral Show at the National Western Complex, Crown Plaza, Denver Fine Mineral Show and the Main Club Show
Find Rough Minerals? – Denver Coliseum, Quality Inn, Crown Plaza, Main Club Show
Find Jewelry? – Denver Coliseum, Quality Inn, Crown Plaza, the JG&M show Main Club Show.
Find Fossils? – Denver Coliseum, Crown Plaza, Main Club Show
Find Mineral Specimens? – Denver Coliseum, Denver Mineral Show @ National Western Complex, Crown Plaza, Denver Fine Mineral Show, Main Club Show
 Kids Activities At the Denver Gem & Mineral Show (Club Show) Find Wholesale Deals? – Denver Coliseum, Crown Plaza, Wholesale Show at Collector’s Edge
Kid’s Activities and Exhibits? – Denver Coliseum, Main Club Show
Free Parking? All of the shows
So, visit Denver and be immersed in a world of minerals and rocks from around the world. You’ll be able to meet fascinating people and buy things from them! You’ll find books, knowledge, special specimens, people who mine what they sell, jewelry making equipment and at least one person selling EXACTLY what you are looking for!
As someone who has always enjoyed talking with Kay Robertson during the annual Culver City Mineral Shows, and at the now revenued Santa Ana show, it is wonderful to know that two great dealers, The Arkenstone and MineralMan999 will be handling the amazing collection – Check out this alert to this chance to own a specimen from this very special woman.
PRESS RELEASE –
We are very proud and HONORED to announce our largest Collection Acquisition to date, and maybe ever!
We have just reached a deal to share with you the personal collection of Kay Robertson – a literal “treasure trove” of specimens, many of which were not seen by but a few other collectors for 50 years!
We just listed the first group of auctions here: http://bit.ly/mineralman
Kay Robertson built an amazingly diverse collection over nearly 90 years of collecting, from a time when so much was available on the mineral market that is simply gone now. The breadth and depth of her collection is hard to equal, almost impossible going forward. She had long planned to donate her collection, but has now decided to sell it and share her life’s passion with the world of collectors in a special deal structured to let us offer most of the pieces for sale at auction, so different from how the important collections are normally dispersed quietly and under the table by the big dealers. Her attitude is that, if it must sell, to share it with the largest number of collectors possible, and to archive online all the information she has collected on mineral specimens since the 1930s.
The collection has old classics, old localities, and a stunning variety of species – over 12,000 pieces! It was simply too big for any one dealer to handle. We struck a deal to handle several thousand specimens from the collection over the next 3-5 years, and have now made our first selection of 500 rare and valuable old specimens that we will be listing throughout the upcoming weeks and months! These old classics will be exclusively available only through our auctions on eBay and through fellow dealer Rob Lavinsky of The Arkenstone, with whom we partnered with on this collection! We each picked specimens from the first few cabinets of the collection, and then put the rest in storage for now so that more fresh pieces can come out in parcels over the next few years for our customers to enjoy!
Click here to see the first group of specimens up for auction: http://bit.ly/mineralman
 The Messina Mine Ajoite is certainly a fine addition to any collection! 
I HIGHLY recommend reading the Mineralogical Record feature about this amazing woman’s remarkable life and career in collecting here: http://www.mineralogicalrecord.com/pdfs/Kay%20Robertson%20Collection.pdf
You can read about the trip to pack the collection and the reasons for its sale, here: http://www.irocks.com/kay-robertson-a-treasure-in-the-mineral-collecting-world/
 You can bid on this fine spinel on eBay with MineralMan999
http://bit.ly/mineralman
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These specimens of quartz, collected by John Krygier: https://www.mindat.org/gallery-13767.html, are typical examples of what you can find at this mine. The black coating is due to manganese oxides, and the orange coating is due to iron oxides.
