Maine Mineral Adventures, which Zoltan and Jody Matolcsy own, is a recreational mining guide service in western Maine. You never know what youre going to find. Rare minerals have been found at Lord Hill including Triplite, Uraninite, Vivianite, Zircon, Gahnite, Fluorapatite, Bertrandite. DACF Home Bureaus & Programs Maine Geological Survey Explore Maine Geology Mineral Collecting in Maine Mineral Collecting in Maine. Here, rockhounds might find beryl, almandine garnets, quartz, Microline, muscovite, biotite, and fluorapatite. Mt. We are here for any questions or concerns that might arise about your adventures in mineral collecting. The Bibliography is part of the. A family membership includes couples or spouses and any children younger than 18 years of age living in the same household. The most useful tools are sturdy hammers for breaking rocks open, and a small shovel for digging through piles of broken rock on the waste piles of mines and quarries. Meteorites in Maine: Is the sky falling??? Gloves and safety glasses are recommended, along with chisels, small shovels, and any additional tools that may come in handy. You just basically find a spot and start looking for rocks. Club members go on field trips to mineral sites to study and collect specimens. I encourage you to check them out if you are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting. That said before you head out exploring, you should check this list to ensure youre not wasting your precious time. If done with care, rockhounding can be a great family activity. Road cuts and natural outcrops of other rock types occasionally provide good mineral specimens. Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Dig Me. The Deer Hill amethyst locality is a pegmatite of granitic composition. Bibliography of Maine Geology - For those interested in more in-depth research, the Bibliography of Maine Geology contains more than 12,000 references related to Maine geology. 98% of travelers recommend this experience. Quarry for finding many different rocks. The state of Maine is home to igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. This hobby is especially popular in western Maine, where some of the states most celebrated gemstones can be found. Rockhounds can find feldspar, tourmaline, garnet, quartz, topaz, jasper, rubies, pearls, gold, opal, aquamarine, and many other high-quality pieces. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Please read and comply with the conditions stated on the permit. Permits arevalid for 1 day at one mineral collecting site. If youve read this far, its time to introduce you to a word intimately associated with rockhounding in Maine: pegmatite. Albite, Beryl, Tourmaline (green elbaite), Fluorapatite (blue, purple), Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Garnet (spessartine), Sphalerite, Spodumene (crystals), etc. The entrance looks completely prohibited but rest assured, once you park by the ball fields, walk past the Army National Guard signage, and go directly into the woods. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock There is a program every month consisting of a speaker that teaches members about the different characteristics of minerals and gems. Another option is to visit a location thats running a mineral and gem sluice, a device that allows you to sort rocks using a screen in running water. Copyright 2021 Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. For a fee, rockhounds can explore and collect specimens at the Poland Mining Camps. Other excellent places to check are the Mount Apatite Quarries, along with Harvard, Waisanen, and Tamminen quarries. Topaz. The museum is also home to a world-class meteorite collection that includes the five largest pieces of the moon found on earth, the largest known piece of the Vesta asteroid and an igneous rock. Volume 2: Mining History, Gems, and Geology. $239,900. I even found a couple of small frogs on the trail. amzn_assoc_title = "Here is some of my favorite rockhounding gear from Amazon"; The best rockhounding sites are usually at places that are currently being mined or have in the past but only a select number of locations are open to the public for free. Located in Androscoggin County, Maine, the Camps has been serving the interests and enthusiasm of rockhounds of every age and level of experience since the 1960s. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; The societys family-oriented meetings are usually held on the third Saturday of every month, from September through May. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. But its also just being outdoors, enjoying the outdoors. With some luck, you might harvest some high-quality specimens, including zircon, beryl, columbite, mica, aquamarine, quartz, albite, and garnets, among other samples. . This process combined the igneous and sedimentary rocks and the heat changed the mineral composition (Jensen 1960) (Shuttlesworth, 1963). How much will you find? on official, secure websites. Some examples of metamorphic rocks are slate, marble, quartzite and granite (Shuttlesworth, 1963). This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. However, I have compiled a list of resources here so that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found here or elsewhere) for yourself. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Autunite, Beryl (golden), Aquamarine, Mica, Columbite, Fluorapatite, Feldspar, Quartz (milky, rose, smoky), Schorl, Zircon, etc. Additional suggestions are available in the Collector's Guide to Maine Mineral Localities. For those doing rock collecting for the first time, keep in mind that the location is a hard rock mine. From the trailhead, follow the yellow blazed hiking trail 0.1 miles to a fork in the trail. The trails, once there, are clearly marked. Apatite on Tripadvisor, View all restaurants near Mt. They feel as though learning how to correctly identify the locations that are best for gold panning is a matter of knowing what to look for before you waste time digging and experience. Some are open to the public for collecting at select times of the week, often on weekends. Summerville, Georgia Agate Rockhounding Trip 2021, Gardening Benefit for Cabochon and Rock Tumbling Rockhounds, Field Trip to Union Chapel Mine/Steven C. Minkin Paleozoic Footprint Site Fossil Location. The club has two field trips a month, where they visit different localities. Many of the best minerals in Maine are found in an igneous rock called "pegmatite", which is a very coarse-grained granite. 95% of travelers recommend this experience. For basic tools, Hoffelder suggests a shovel and two hammers: a geology hammer and a crack hammer. Maine is one of New England's most popular rock-hounding locations. Driving: From jct. Most of Maines gems and rare minerals are found in a coarse-grained variety of granite called pegmatite, according to a Virtual Tour of Maine Minerals created by the Maine Geological Survey. Rockhounding can get very dirty, so bring Wet-naps as they are very handy to clean off your hands quickly. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. The foremost of these is a sturdy hammer for breaking loose and trimming specimens. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. The ledges and boulders surrounding the quarry pits show . Always be mindful of sneaker waves and never get caught on rock outcroppings with an incoming tide. Like most of the interesting material in Maine, you're primarily looking for pegmatite to dig into. Beware; on hot weekends there are lots of teenagers drinking and cliff jumping so going with small children might be best on weekday mornings. Mineral collecting is an inexpensive hobby that can be enjoyed by all age groups, and offers the fringe benefits of outdoor recreation and the opportunity to learn about earth science. The walk is uphill and has stray rocks in the path so be careful if walking is difficult for you. Hounds can find high-quality items, including (not limited to) biotite, limonite, malachite, wulfenite, anglesite, bornite, calcite, cerussite, epidote, hematite, quartz, and smithsonite. The Great State of Maine Minerals and Gems, Analcime, Calcite, Datolite, Malachite, Prehnite, Agate, Amethyst, Bloodstone, Chalcedony, Quartz, Stilbite. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; An official website of the The higher deeper water area has a lot of fish, think they are bull heads. would you know where I could find info on hunting up on the mountain? Some of the best areas to go rockhounding in Maine include the old mines and quarries in the southwestern region of the state and the beaches along the Atlantic coast. A member of the Maine Mineralogical and Geological Society holds up a piece of blue-green tourmaline found while on a field trip at Havey Quarry in Poland, Maine. United States government. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Search for minerals in these rock fragments or in the walls of the mine. This site is devoted to sharing my love of rocks with you. The Maine countryside is absolutely riddled with old mines and quarries which have historically targeted the pegmatite veins exposed by glaciation and erosion. Ocean rocks belong to everyone, not just to whoever picks them up first. Rockhounding also known as field collecting or recreational mining is an outdoor activity in which everyday people search for valuable gems, fossils and other mineral treasures buried in the. And discoveries of more gem-rich veins of pegmatite are still being made. Even if you dont find gems of value, the experience of sifting through rocks is fun in and of itself, Turcotte said. If youre on the hunt for fossils, Maines bedrock holds preserved fossils dating back from 500 to 360 million years ago. It is highly advised to put these items in protective zip lock bags to PROTECT from dirt and mud. Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground runs a sluice seasonally, as does Dig Maine Gems. amzn_assoc_linkid = "aac5e87b1ca95eb9841c18e11fbbd48f"; We are offering the mineral specimen collector, from beginner to the advanced, a once-in-a-lifetime collecting vacation opportunity. Follow posted signage and always get permission from the landowner to collect. If youre not interested in those minerals, no worries. Some owners of mines and quarries will allow clubs to rockhound on parts of their property chiefly their dump piles for a fee, but they wont allow individuals to do the same. - Lot / Land for sale. I thought it was going to be more of a mining operation, but my grandson still had fun breaking rocks and finding keepers. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Maybe a lot, maybe nothing. Light aircraft arent any better than the airlines for hauling home your rocks and mining tools. And chisels are useful for more delicate work, such as carving gems out of surrounding rock. For collectors who want to go home with a prepared souvenir, Creaser Jewelers in South Paris, Maine, is a must-stop destination of the Maine mining scene, specializing in jewelry made from locally mined gems. !v5mNufY_?H YZo23"@;mw@j]be@V\ F{qI0ilB[7T$bm6 k # d>8y.1a ~tx&.oQ Hir.)nFrS'i|`pFB e9`rNY!uH 6m::exR!yR .n I have found records of these rockhounding sites over a variety of sources and offer these locations as a place to start searching. Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry Its one of the best rockhound locations in the state because of the quarries nearby. However, some sites were closed off due to intense activity and other reasons. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property. She arises early, rides down to the dining hall in a golf cart, puts the coffee pot on, and makes everyones breakfast to order. Shed be the first one to tell that shes not much of a computer userif she even has one in the house these days. 18 Elkins Lane ( Queen's frontman had said he . Some rockhounds aim to find valuable gems such as watermelon tourmaline, while others enjoy finding as many different types of minerals as possible. When youre digging in the dirt, cracking open rocks and all the sudden you find a beautiful crystal it makes your day. amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IEX2TEO,B0002YWWVE,B08N41884X,B00A4H4ZQ4"; 97% of travelers recommend this experience. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Autunite, Beryl, Mica, Columbite, Fluorapatite, Feldspar, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Quartz (milky, smoky), Sphalerite, Zircon, etc. At the junction with Horseshoe Pond Road (right) continue straight on the Mine Road approximately 0.5 mi. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; Many of the best rockhounding sites in Maine are privately owned. The aptly-named Jasper Beach near Bucks Harbor is a great place to find some colorful jasper pebbles, and Loring Cove near Perry is known to turn up agates and other minerals like bloodstone and amethyst. The Lubec Lead Mine, near Lubec, Maine, is an excellent rockhound location for explorers to score decent specimens. The Lord Hill mine is an open depression in the top of the hill. stream Pegmatite veins are abundant in parts of Oxford, Androscoggin, and Sagadahoc Counties. Permits can be obtained at the mineral collecting site. These are mostly comprised of beaches, outcrops, old mining prospects, washes, streams, and historically known rock and mineral collecting sites. To get started, you can check out my recommended gear page which contains my full reviews for every Geologists favorite rock hammer and the best hiking backpack Ive ever owned. The club holds monthly meetings at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum once a month. NOT Fancy, No Bathrooms or facility's and make sure you brink drinking water. Many examples of Maine minerals are on exhibit at the Maine Geological Survey and at numerous colleges and museums around the country. Its like my wife said: the kids are a lot closer to the ground, so a lot of the time, they will find better stuff than the adults.. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Among the more popular locations with collectors are Mount Apatite, Lord Hill, and Deer Hill. Recent Posts, Rockhounding. Instead, some of the old quarries are being prospected for valuable gems such as tourmaline, mainly to be made into jewelry. It still is, around the world, but of course, things in the US get expensive.. However, thus far, no dinosaur fossils have been found in Maine yet. The rocks, usually collected from the dump piles of local mines, are provided by the bucket full, so youll have plenty to sort through. One of my favorites is beryl. Official websites use .gov A .gov Fortunately, many of these old quarries are open to the public (to some degree or another) for collecting. Specimens may become depleted from other collectors, the location may have been built on or altered, locality information in literature may be inaccurate, and property ownership may have changed hands. Safety gear and protective clothing is also important. You look forward to the field trips and digging with your friends.. Be prepared to carry out what you carry in. The Swift River in Byron is one of the principal sources of placer gold. Good luck! Joining this club gives members insight into some of the best equipment for gold prospecting and the information necessary for anyone to get started on their prospecting journey. LockA locked padlock The little town of Paris, in Oxford County, Maine, is an excellent intersection between a few different rockhounding sites. Minerals are what rocks are made of (Jensen . You will see lots of shallow holes that mineral collectors have dug in the rock piles. Maybe Ill see you at breakfast. 2 0 obj The trails were nice and wide and easy to walk on. The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information for every location on this page. Other pegmatite minerals that may produce gem-grade material or great specimens include beryl (aquamarine, morganite, and heliodor are forms of beryl); topaz; spodumene; and apatite, to name a few. Its also possible to arrange to tag along on a day trip if you only expect to be in the area for a short time. There are several rockhounding clubs in Maine so you can most likely find one you like nearby. American Geode followed the attached map, and found access to two of the mines, the ones off of Richardson Hollow Road, the Waisanen and Tamminen Quarrie That next rock, that next shovel full could be something really cool.. From the trailhead, follow the yellow blazed hiking trail 0.1 miles to a fork in the trail. United States. Copyright 2022 Rockhound Resource | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Havey, Trenton, Square Pit, and Alice Staples Quarries near Topsham, Harvard, Tamminen, and Waisanen Quarries, near Greenwood, Ryerson Hill Quarry & Crocker Hill Mines, near Paris, Baldpate Mountain, in pegmatites and float, Rockhounding on Public Land: Laws and Regulations, Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? endobj Albite, Garnet (almandine), Beryl (green, golden), Mica, Columbite, Fluorapatite (clear, green, purple), Fluorite, Feldspar, Quartz crystals (clear, milky, smoky), Schorl, etc. Updated: 9:55 AM EDT April 26, 2023. Mineral collecting is allowed in the White Mountain National Forest in western Maine, provided that your activities are non-commercial, limited to the use of hand tools, and do not greatly disturb the area. Plenty of other walkers with dogs on these trails periodically. WHEN: Opens Dec. 12; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. These quarries and mines are prime targets for rockhounds looking to find high-quality specimens of desirable rocks and minerals because relatively fresh material has been exposed and the area has already been proven to be productive. can I take a walker with me to help my balance and to rest on if needed I have parkensions and don't think I could walk a half mile, Mt. Minerals begin as sediment, small chunks of clay, mud and sand. 113 in Stow, Maine turn right onto Deer Hill Rd (FR9). If youre not particularly into hard-rock collecting or digging around in quarries you can also do some beach combing on public beaches. Image Credits Not only are the changing tides a determining factor for rockhounding success, but they are a real safety concern. Tip: Check out my Complete Rockhounding Guide for tips on planning your rockhounding trip and getting the most out of your time in the field! The number one thing to remember while collecting rocks on ocean beaches are the tides. Regarding membership prices, an individual membership is $15 a year and $20 a year for families. Pink, green and blue tourmaline, aquamarine beryl and deep red garnet, purple amethyst and sparkling lepidolite they all lie buried in Maine granite. Traces of gold have been detected in widely scattered bedrock ore deposits, but most gold prospectors wash the gravel from stream beds in search of nuggets. Permits can be obtained at the trailhead. Bear right for 0.4 miles to permit area 1, bear left for 0.4 miles to permit area 2. Loring Cove in Perry is another prime location, with the potential to find agates, calcite, malachite, analcime, prehnite, amethyst, bloodstone, chalcedony, and various quartz specimens. Bureaus & Programs Maine Geological Survey Explore Maine Geology Mineral Collecting in Maine. TTY: Maine Relay 711 1 0 obj Re: Best locations for rock . You can also Rockhounding in Maine, is some great rockhounding, in fact some of the best rockhounding the American Geode team has ever experienced because of the ease and accessibility of the Maine mines! Great Family Day Hike, GREAT "FREE" family fun. Other locations are open but at a fee, and some are only open to specific clubs. American Geode went on a rockhounding (and foodie) tour of Maine in May 2018, and found the quarries very accessible, easy to find, and full of mica. Image Credits The Maine Mineralogical and Geological Society feature a free youth program with a family membership to the club. Bring newspaper or baggies for specimens collected, and a field guide for rocks and minerals. From the North: Follow Deer Hill Rd. 38 minutes ago. Rockhounds can also find green and golden beryl minerals. The most commonly listed primary commodities in Oxford mines are Gemstone , Beryllium , and Feldspar . Quartz, Feldspar, Beryl, Mica, Tourmaline. Bean in Freeport are within convenient travel distance from the mining district. Go to a rock show or visit a major natural history museum anywhere, and you are likely to encounter specimens from the Maine "pegs." Or you could get yourself to Maine and start a collection of your own. This bundle of information includes a book, videos, and online tools. Concentrating on granite pegmatite collecting, we also have a few . This was a last minute trip with my 6 y/o twins. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Geryl, Biotite, Columbite, Mica, Aquamarine, Chalcopyrite, Schorl, Quartz, Zircon, Elbaite, Thorogummite, etc. Ancient volcanic and metamorphic rocks have been worn down by recent glaciation and subsequent weathering from rivers and streams have exposed interesting gemstones and minerals for us to find. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Autunite, Beryl (green, yellow), Mica, Columbite, Fluorapatite, Quartz (milky, rose, smoky), Schorl, etc. All rights reserved. Each of these states has distinguishing geology that will be of interest to . Porcupine Hill quarry is an excellent place to find almandine garnets, quartz crystals, beryl, albite, biotite, fluorapatite, columbite, and tourmaline. I think they are green frogs from the banjo sounding call. Chalcedony, jasper, prehnite, bornite, gold, galena, epidote, beryl, muscovite, garnet, scheelite, hornblende, and various other mineral specimens can be found throughout Maine. Maine Auburn Mt. Its the thrill of the hunt, said Tom Hoffelder, president of Oxford County Mineral and Gem Association. Maine is home to a handful of active geology and mineral clubs. You should place a call to family and loved ones before heading out and if you are running late. This is a great resource for anyone who loves rockhounding, from beginners to experts alike! Additionally, filming your finds can be a great way to record you adventure. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Arsenopyrite, Beryl, Mica, Calcite, Cookeite, Fluorapatite (purple, blue), Lepidolite, Quartz, Schorl, Spodumene, Topaz, Zircon, etc. Volume 2: Mining History, Gems, and Geology, Gemstones -- An Overview of Production of Specific U.S. Gemstones, Prospecting for Gold in the United States. Also has bike trails. Its a greenish blue crystal. Many other items are handy for collecting and staying comfortable during outdoor activity. I would probably start by doing a property records search and getting whatever contact information you can for the landowner. Doing so can put you in touch with others who may have lesser-known locations to check out. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Autunite, Beryl, Biotite, Columbite, Kasolite, Felspar, Mica, Opal (hyalite), Pyrite, Schorl, Zircon. Year after year, the specimen seekers show up on schedule toting shovels, screens, or sledgehammers and sharing stories of fabulous finds or strenuous searches of past years. Take the Mine Trail to your right to the abandoned mine. The big thing about being a member of a rock club is you can get into places [to rockhound] that you cant get into as an individual, Hoffelder said. Maines surface geology is full of high-quality pegmatites. Other sources include: This post is part of my State-By-State Rockhounding Guides series. This story was originally published in April 2021. \1X*eJ9FarKD-uA .:P|q3=dF" `. )$k6)F$i0 6Y/kt*#}PH@X'}? b\Yl6q Gold, Garnet, Magnetite, Scheelite, Staurolite, Albite, Garnet (almandine), Beryl, Mica, Chrysoberyl, Fluorapatite, Feldspar, Quartz (milky, smoky), Schrol, Garnet (almandine), Chrysoberyl, Fluorapatite, Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Schorl, Amethyst, Feldspar, Beryl, Garnet, Columbite, Pyrite, Muscovite. Mount Mica, Mount Marie and Mount Apatite are also popular for rockhounding spots in Maine each with their own rules and restrictions.