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
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
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!
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.
