Tag Archives: field collecting

Collecting Ribbon Barite around Quartzsite Arizona

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cut ribbon barite from arizona

A favorite place of mine to visit has been the barite deposits West of Bouse Arizona, referred to as the Burro Barite Deposits.
This network of shafts and inclines can be 100% avoided, but the colorful chunks of Barite, Quartz, Hematite and Fluorite sure can hop into your bag!

We will show you a map to a great big deposit of ribbon barite you can collect, if you are in the Quartzsite, Parker, Bouse or Wickenburg Arizona area, but first, lets learn a little bit about Barite.

cut ribbon barite from arizona

This is a sample of the typical barite found at the Plomosa Road Barite Ridge deposit.

Barite, also known as baryte (for those of the English persuasion), is a mineral composed of barium sulfate (BaSO4). It is a dense, white or colorless mineral with a Mohs hardness of 3-3.5, which means it is relatively soft. Barite occurs in a variety of forms, including tabular, prismatic, and fibrous, and it may have a wide range of colors depending on impurities present in the mineral, such as blue, brown, gray, or red.

Barite is found in a variety of geological environments, including sedimentary rocks, hydrothermal veins, and as gangue mineral in metallic ores. The largest deposits of barite are found in China, India, and the United States. Other significant deposits can be found in countries such as Morocco, Turkey, Canada, and Mexico.

Barite has many uses, primarily in the oil and gas industry as a weighting agent in drilling muds. It is also used as a filler in the manufacture of paints, rubber, and plastics, as well as a component in the production of paper and ceramics. Barite is also used as a flux in glassmaking and as a radiation shielding material in medical and scientific applications.

Barite is generally considered to be non-toxic, but it can be harmful if ingested or inhaled in large quantities. Therefore, proper handling and disposal procedures should be followed when working with this mineral.

Barite is an interesting and versatile mineral that has many characteristics that make it a great addition to any mineral collection. Here are some reasons why barite is a good mineral to collect:

Firstly, barite crystals have a unique and striking appearance. They can come in a variety of colors, including clear, white, yellow, blue, and pink, and can have a variety of crystal habits, including tabular, prismatic, and fibrous. This means that barite crystals can be both beautiful and diverse in appearance, making them an excellent mineral to collect for aesthetic purposes.

Secondly, barite is a widespread mineral found in many geological environments, which means it can be relatively easy to acquire specimens for your collection. The largest deposits of barite are found in China, India, and the United States, and there are many other significant deposits around the world. This means that collectors have the opportunity to obtain specimens from a variety of locations, adding to the diversity of their collection.

Thirdly, barite has many uses in industry and science, which means it can be an interesting and informative mineral to collect. Barite is used in the oil and gas industry as a weighting agent in drilling muds, and as a flux in glassmaking. It is also used as a radiation shielding material in medical and scientific applications. Knowing about these applications and the properties of barite can add to the educational value of a mineral collection.

Overall, barite’s unique appearance, widespread distribution, and versatile uses make it a great mineral to collect.


Minerals, Fossils, and Fluorescents of Arizona Book Cover		 Minerals, Fossils, and Fluorescents of Arizona
by Neil R. Bearce

This book sets the standard for field guides everywhere. Amazing, full of great locations! A MUST own for Arizona field collectors, or those living in nearby states!
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  AMAZON


Minerals of Arizona: A Field Guide for Collectors Book Cover		 Minerals of Arizona: A Field Guide for Collectors
by Neil R. Bearce

This is the first guide, of the two shown here. good idea to grab both
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  AMAZON

Now, you can find your very own Barite from lots of places in the world, but for this fun banded material, you’ll be going to hop onto Plomosa Road just north of Quartzsite and drive 12.2 miles to reach the gravel road to the northwest. Hop off the paved road and turn onto it, then turn left into the wash. You can explore all around that ridge that protrudes out of the wash. It runs for just about 2000 feet.

Years ago a video was made of this location, showing you the area. The audio was done by Rick Kennedy of Earth’s Treasures, in case you were wondering who’s sexy vocals those were.

Smoky Quartz Crystal Digging- Moat Mountain, White Mountain Nat’l Forest, New Hampshire

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Scepter Smoky Quartz from New Hampshire

Welcome to Moat Mountain! Here is beautiful example of the typical smoky quartz and microcline combo found at this locality.

For more info and directions, Nat’l Forest Service page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5382896.pdf

Background:
The iconic New Hampshire locality, Moat Mountain has been popular for its gorgeous smoky quartz and microcline specimens for decades. New Hampshire is known as “The Granite State” so it is fitting that specimens at its signature locality occur in a granite. In many ways, these specimens bear resemblance to other granitic quartz and feldspars from throughout the US, such as those from Colorado and Montana. The association of smoky quartz and feldspar is very typical in a miarolitic granite. More about how exactly these crystals form later.
One of the few if only free, open to the public dig sites in New England where pocket smoky quartz crystals can be found, this location is maintained by the National Parks Service and is accessible from mid spring to early autumn. The severe winter weather in the area makes collecting during that time impossible. Nearly the entire mountain has various mineral locations for smoky quartz, amethyst, microcline, and fluorite, but please respect where the parks service allows and doesn’t allow digging.

Geology and Minerals:
This locality occurs in miarolitic granite and these crystals are over 200 million years old. The minerals at this location formed at the contact between the Conway granite and the Moat Mountain volcanics. These volcanic rocks were part of a very active ancient volcano. As they rose and depressurized, gasses escaping from them were trapped by the surrounding Conway granite, forming the smoky quartz, microcline, and other minerals. The chemistry of the gasses was pretty simple, but enriched in fluorine which gave rise to some of the rarer, highly collectible minerals at the site.

Minerals:
Smoky Quartz: Commonly found in miarolitic pockets. Gemmy, very lustrous smoky quartzes are abundant. Usually they are an inch or less, but crystals to over a foot have been found. Some of the Moat Mountain pockets have been massive. It is still possible to find large pockets here, but it requires a lot of both work and luck.

Scepter Smoky Quartz from New Hampshire

Some fantastic examples on Mindat of smokies collected at Moat. Note the red mud on the freshly pulled piece. These gorgeous specimens are proof good finds at Moat can still be made.


Fine Smoky Quartz Crystal from the Granite of New Hampshire

Microcline: Blocky crystals of microcline provide the matrix for many smoky specimens. They represent the walls of the miarolitic cavities. Often overlooked, these microclines make fine specimens on their own. Beautiful blue green amazonite and Baveno twinned crystals have been found on occasion.

Old school specimen of smoky and amazonite from Moat Mountain

Topaz and Fluorite: The ultimate Moat Mountain specimen is a fine topaz, however this mineral is extremely rare here. When found, it is known to produce gorgeous gem quality champagne, pale blue, or colorless crystals that are sometimes slightly etched. Specimens can exceed five centimeters.
Fluorite crystals to several centimeters in diameter have been found on Moat Mountain. Also a rarity, they are quite sought after. Fluorite is a fragile, sensitive mineral so it often weathers away if it is at all present in a pocket. It occurs primarily in green, blue, and purple at this locality and can form cubic or octahedral crystals.

Directions (From Forest Service):
From West Side Road in Conway turn onto Passaconaway Road. Travel 1.2 miles and turn right onto High Street (dirt road). This road leads into the White Mountain National Forest, passing a gate at 1.4 miles. At 1.7 miles, bear left and continue 0.7 miles to the parking area at the end of the road. The Moat Mountain Mineral Collecting Site is a 0.9 mile hike from the parking area. On the Mineral Site Trail, keep right at both branches.
GPS Coordinates: • Moat Mineral Collecting Site Trailhead: 44.021700, -71.169500

Collecting Tips: There are many ways to collect this material. A popular way is to dig through loose, weathered rock paying attention for crystals and pocket sections. A hand rake and shovel are good for this. It pays to dig deep, past areas that have already been searched.
Another method is searching ledges for pockets and working the rock. Observe how plants grow, often roots will follow crystal bearing pockets and seams because they are open space easy for them to take hold in. Breaking the granite is hard work and requires a lot of hammering and chiseling. An assortment of wedges, chisels, hammers, and prybars would be a good idea to bring. Use large, flat wedges to exploit cracks in the rock.
This location is remote, so bring food, water, and bug spray especially if you plan on staying there for a while.

Finding Your Own Green Pyromorphite and Orange Wulfenite in Western Massachusetts!

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Pyromorphite and wulfenite are highly sought after by collectors because they are some of the most intensely colored species in the mineral kingdom. Pyromorphite is known for its diverse hues and shapes ranging from vivid green, to yellow, to orange and from hoppered hexagon, to hexagonal prism, to semispheroid. Wulfenite almost always forms yellow to orange-red square shaped tabular crystals. When mineral collectors think of these minerals, exotic international locations pop into their heads like China, Arizona, Idaho, Namibia, Morocco, and Mexico. Little do many mineral enthusiasts in the Northeast US know, there is a wonderful site to dig these minerals in Massachusetts. It is just rarely represented in the specimen market because the crystals are smaller and less abundant than the really famous spots. Regardless of that, most collecting sites in New England don’t provide vibrantly colorful and diverse oxidized minerals like this place, and none exist where you can pan for wulfenites in the river like you can at Loudville!

Pyromorphite with Wulfenite

Beautiful combo of pyromorphite and wulfenite dug by my friend Alex Kim (@dirty_minerals on insta). Finding this piece is what inspired him to dig minerals. Check out more of his collecting adventures and amazing finds on his page!

History: The name “Loudville Lead mines” is used to refer to the many mines in a small district adjacent to the Manhan river in Northampton, Mass. Loudville is the name of a small village in the area on the Easthampton and Westhampton line that was the nearest settlement during mining activity (2). The Loudville Lead mines are some of the oldest colonial mines in the US. Discovered by Robert Dyer in the late 1670s (1), they experienced several periods of mining from the 17th through 19th century. The first phase was from discovery until the American Revolution, which halted operations. I have heard though I cannot confirm that lead from Loudville was used in Revolutionary munitions like musket and cannonballs. Ethan Allen, famous hero of the American Revolution worked Loudville in the late 1700s after giving up prospecting Mine Hill in Roxbury, CT for silver (3). This mine was worked intermittently throughout the 19th century, last in 1865.

Map of mineral deposit of Loudville Massachusetts

an early sketch of the geology of the lead ore vein at Loudville from
Richardson, Charles (1854): Northampton District. The Loudville Mine (Mining Magazine Vol. 2 pp 13-20.

Mineralogy: Pyromorphite and Wulfenite are the most sought after minerals at this location and often they are hard to see. When you find material that shows any hint of green or orange, save it and delicately clean it at home. Do not use chemicals on minerals from Loudville with the exception of quartz. Many of these minerals will react even with iron out.

Secondary, oxidized minerals like Wulfenite and Pyromorphite are extremely rare in New England. Many of the oxidized zones (called supergene zones) of metal deposits in the region were removed by glaciers leaving mostly just sulfides which generally are massive and not aesthetic at the majority of locations in the region. Finding just one pyromorphite or wulfenite crystal at a lead deposit almost anywhere else in New England is a very rare experience.

Pyromorphite with Wulfenite

Gorgeous specimens of pyromorphite collected by my friend Dustin Bartlett (@themodernnaturalist on instagra,) Dustin has collected Loudville extensively and his page is a good place to go to see what collectors are still finding there!

Lead secondary minerals such as cerussite, anglesite, and the rare leadhillite are also found at Loudville. Cerussite is expecially common and overlooked. The best way to spot it is by its high luster and understanding its unique crystallography. Frequently it exhibits twinning. Even though it is colorless, its appearance makes it immediately distinguishable from quartz and baryte- the two other colorless minerals here. The author has collected numerous fine cerussites at Loudville to nearly 2cm long.

Quartz is another very common mineral at Loudville that can be very pretty. Beautiful clusters of milky, smoky, amethystine, and combos of these three varieties of quartz can be found, crystals getting quite large! Many of the similar lead mines in the Northeast such as the closed to collecting Canton Lead Mine in Ct are known for colorful amethyst and smokies with lead secondaries. At Loudville, you will often find other minerals, especially pyromorphite and wulfenite coating the quartz.

Pyromorphite on Quartz

Beautiful combo of pyromorphite on dark smoky quartz dug by Dustin Bartlett @themodernnaturalist on insta

The list of minerals at Loudville is extremely extensive and represents so many interesting combinations of lead, zinc, copper, sulfate, carbonate, silicate, etc. Under the microscope, a whole world of collectible material becomes available. Please see Mindat if you want to learn more: https://www.mindat.org/loc-3832.html

Directions and Equipment:

When digging here, please respect the boundaries to the collecting area! There has been a lot of digging outside of it and if it continues, the site may be closed within the next few years. Saying that, there are many strategies to collecting there, I will discuss two of them.

The first strategy involves digging into the dump and breaking rock to expose vugs. Use a shovel, hand rake, etc to turn over the dump and a crack hammer and chisel to break the material. The river is a convenient source of water to wash pieces off you can’t see clearly. Often the mud can obscure the crystals. Move slow and be careful.

An especially interesting technique people have been successful with here is panning for wulfenite in the river using a gold pan. Wulfenite is very dense compared to other minerals and will readily separate out in your concentrate. Use tweezers to pluck them out and I strongly advise you put them into a vial of water since they are fragile and very easy to lose.

In addition to the tools I outline above, other things you will want to bring is food, water, bug spray (it gets bad in the summer), sunscreen, and waterproof footware. This is a great place to bring dogs as many of them love swimming in the river. Just keep them on leash and be respectful to other dog owners.

To get to the site, it is very simple. Navigate to the pin on the embedded map and look for a small parking area. Park there and make your way down to the edge of the river. The collecting areas are clearly marked.

Article By Jeremy Zolan

Sources:

https://www.mindat.org/loc-3832.html

(1) Trumbull, James R. (1898): History of Northampton Massachusetts from its Settlement in 1654, Gazette Printing Company, Northampton Massachusetts: 358-368.

(2) Robinson, G.R. Jr., and Woodruff, L.G. (1988): Characteristics of Base-metal and Barite Vein Deposits associated with Rift Basins, with Examples from some Early Mesozoic Basins of Eastern North America, in Studies of Early Mesozoic Basins of the Eastern US, Frolich, T.J. and Robinson, G.R. Jr., Editors, USGS Bulletin 1776: 377-390.

(3) Hall, Henry (1895). Ethan Allen: the Robin Hood of Vermont, Appleton and Company, New York.

Prospecting for Quartz in New York State – Ellenville Quartz Mine and Beyond

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Green Quartz Crystal from Ellenville New York

Prospecting for Quartz in New York
By Jeremy Zolan

New York is a state with an abundance of quartz localities. These locations produce crystals of a huge
array of styles from many diverse geologies. While most famous for beautiful Herkimer diamonds from
the Mohawk river valley, there are many other kinds of deposits found within the woods of New York.
This brief guide will highlight some things to look for when out in the field and what tools may be
useful. There is a lot in NY state that may be overlooked!

Two beautiful smoky quartz crystals the author found in the Hudson Valley. The author used the techniques and tools in this article to find and collect these beautiful quartzes

Two beautiful smoky quartz crystals the author found in the Hudson Valley. The author used
the techniques and tools in this article to find and collect these beautiful quartzes

Most of the quartz deposits in NY differ considerably from the deposits in the Herkimer area, which are
the most well known. While the Herkimer “Diamond” deposits focus on a sea of isolated pockets that occupy layers in the host dolostone,
most of the other localities in New York work vein deposits. These veins often appear as white quartz
that shoots through the rock, twisting and turning in various lengths, rather different than the deposits the Herkimer Quartz is found.
Often there is a higher probability of finding crystals where you see these
veins intersecting because more space is available for growth at the meeting point. It is important to
take note of the geology in the area where you are to search. Often if you see faulting or contacting,
there can be movement of fluid that can produce crystals. As for contacting, notice that the richest
quartz deposits often form where two different rock types touch, for example sedimentary and igneous
or sedimentary and metamorphic. There is chemical exchange between the rocks which promotes
crystal growth. Getting familiar with some basic geology really does help. Here is a photo below of a
textbook example of a contact in NY of sedimetary rock with the metamorphic basement. If you see
veins originating at this junction of rock, there is a higher chance they will have interesting minerals or
nice pockets.

A contact between sedimentary and metamorphic rock in New York

A contact between sedimentary and metamorphic rock in New York


Original Image Source: By Michael C. Rygel – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29021804

Lets say you have found an interesting vein and are looking to assess it and its potential for specimens.
If you see a hole in the rock, it is in your best interest just to take a look.
It is important to look for pockets containing crystals, or loose material that may have fallen out of a pocket into the talus below.
If you see any mud coming from the veins, especially if it is a reddish or orange color, check it out it as that may
contain crystals! Sometimes pockets can be just filled with dirt or totally clean too.

There is a bit of a list of what tools you will need to prospect and dig quartz in NY. Preparation is
critical. Keep in mind that you will often be looking in rural areas where there will be little or no
service, and having a GPS is often essential. I personally use a Garmin GPSMap 64st which is great,
but if you wish to have birdseye satellite imagery available to you, the Garmin GPSMap 66 series will
make all your wildest GPS dreams come true.
As for the tools you need, I notice that I pack very differently when I am going to prospect versus when
I am going to dig somewhere I already know about. Talking to my good NY prospector friend Dustin
Bartlett (@themodernnaturalist on instagram) we have made some lists of supplies you can buy easily
to get started.
Prospecting Pack:
The goal of the prospecting pack is mobility and sample collection. Use a small backpack you don't
mind getting dirty for this. Remember to pack ample water and supplies as you may be in the woods for
hours looking. The focus of your tooling should be light and versatile. Choose tools that are good for a
variety of environments. Here are the tools I would choose for this-

Available on Amazon:
Estwing B3-3LB Crack Hammer 3-Pound

Stanley 16-332 FatMax Cold Chisel with Bi-Material Hand Guard

Stanley FMHT16556 FATMAX Flat Utility Chisel, 1-1/4"

Estwing Gad Pry Bar – 18" Forged Geological Tool with Pointed Tip & Chisel End – GP-18

Estwing Handy Bar Nail Puller – 15" Pry Bar with Wide, Thin Blade & Forged Steel Construction – HB-15

Sahara Sailor Survival Shovel, Unbreakable Tactical Shovel-180 Degree Folding Shovel (or similar)

Also:
A chopstick for removing crystals from pockets undamaged
Wrapping Material
Water and Food
Notebook and Camera

I really think these lists should give you what you need to prospect and mine nearly any kind of quartz
deposit in NY other than the Herkimer deposits. You'll find that there will be cases where you might
have to use other tools and leave some of these home. Be creative! You will have to be adaptable and
try different things for different locations. Go out there, get dirty, and hit pockets!

Chlorate included Quartz from Ellenville New York

Green Quartz Crystal from Ellenville New York

Gorgeous chlorite included quartz Dustin Bartlett (@themodernnaturalist on insta) dug from
his Lil' Give prospect on the Mass/NY line. Dustin discovered this brand new prospect and mined it
using the techniques and tools discussed above.


Locality:
Ellenville Quartz Mine, Ellenville, Ulster County, NY


To showcase one of New Yorks’ MANY quartz locations, we are showing you the Ellenville Quartz deposits. Once mined for iron and copper ore, this location has produced tons and tons of fine quartz crystals that form in quartz fissures.
This old mine has produced many specimens of quartz and pyrite over the years and there is still great
material there to be found. I recommend you park at Berme Road Park and walk to the mine, where the
red pin is. On the back wall you'll find pyrite and quartz crystals. Sometimes you can also find other
minerals like galena and sphalerite.

Field Guide Review: Minerals, Fossils and Fluorescents of Arizona

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Minerals, Fossils and Fluorescents of Arizona is a thick field guide to 90 locations across the state of Arizona, most still available for collecting in 2012!

Originally published in 2006, this book contains complete, easy to follow maps and directions to each location, along with colorful photos by Jeff Scovil.
For the absolute beginner, there is a nice chunk of informative reading in the front of the book, giving the basic information for several minerals, along with global mineral information like cleavage, hardness and luster. A bit of time is spent on rock formations and geologic conditions, which will help understand the basics behind why minerals are found where they are.

The copy we have has been used to travel to nearly half of the locations in the book. The book gives clear instructions for reaching a location, along with GPS directions, which are easy to punch into google maps while en-route to a location. In addition, each location pinpointed in the book has produced the material described and only once has there been claim markers up on a location showcased. We have collected Hematite crystals, UV minerals, Dendrites, Calcite, Selenite, and Serpentine. Several trips inspired by this book have resulted in fine specimens that are in our permanent collections.
Clicking the book cover will show you available copies for purchase on Amazon.
Book Cover of Minerals, Fossils and Fluorescents of Arizona by Neil R. Bearce
Check out eBay for copies of this book for sale and other minerals of Arizona

There are a lot of field guides to choose from, each with their own unique features. In addition to the easy to follow directions, colorful photos and the accuracy of the information presented, the book also does a great job covering the state, listing collecting spots all over the state, with close proximity to other states. For instance, the residents and visitors to Saint George Utah might be surprised to find that a deposit of Gypsum/Selenite is available in the hills stretching out into Arizona, available from the back roads connecting through Utah. More locations spill across into New Mexico and several of them are a perfect distance between Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Many field collecting guides are simply shelf filler, this book has a wide variety of information, collecting options and we can not recommend another mineral field collecting guide more.