These locations offer a diverse array of rock and mineral specimens such as agate, jasper, petrified wood, turquoise, and copper. Most of the worlds agates come from Brazil and Uruguay so these two countries have to be on this list. 9 Best Places Where Obsidian Can Be Found In The United States. You will find everything about rocks, minerals, and crystals here. Weve got you covered right here. Its not likely to be easy to find and collect a large quantity of gem-quality turquoise yourself, but there are certainly many locations where you can go with the hopes of finding your own turquoise specimens. Ill get into that later, but for now, Ill focus on the best places to look for agates. Like most rocks and minerals, they require a fairly specific geological setting to form, and more geological processes to become exposed for us to collect. Mexican Agates. Hello, I am John.As a little boy, I was fascinated by stones and liked to take them home. Its another great spot to find a wide variety of different minerals. Rock (Treasures of the Earth) shows Field trips Junior club activities Workshops Note that active private property mining operations are still occurring in the area. They can also be found around the world in Australia, Germany, Brazil, Czechia, Botswana, Mexico, Morocco, Afghanistan, Argentina, Canada, Chile, India, China, and over 40 other countries. Beads dating back to 5000 BC have been found in Iraq. W on S side of road, Nacimieto Mountains, area draws and washes, Jemez National Recreation Area, area near Battleship Rock, NW San Juan County, in Ojo Alamo formation exposures, Mount Chalchihuitl, area slopes and draws, Belen to Los Lunas, area gravels and washes, Pecos, mining dump near Willow Creek campground, Lee Russell & Kerr Canyons, area surfaces, Plains of San Agustin, volcanic tuff exposures. Moss agate is relatively popular and easy to find in raw, tumbled, or cut forms online. You will likely have to be more diligent and methodical in your searching than you would at the beach. Exceptional Fossil Reveals Fish-Eating-Fish Moment Frozen in Time, The Great Meteorite Hunt: Museum Offers $25,000 Reward for Rare Fireball Remains in Maine, Why Petrified Logs Look Like Theyve Been Cut (The How and The Why), Detailed maps and directions to sites including GPS points, Contact information for local land management agencies, Suggestions for tools and techniques by site. Its also found near Thunder Bay in Canada which is also one of the shores of Lake Superior. Jornada Valley, area 13 mi. Look for rocks that have a roughly round or oval shape that are at least slightly more colorful than the majority of rocks in the area. Sometimes they are extremely easy to spot, but in some cases they are almost impossible to distinguish from other rocks without a practiced eye and more meticulous work. Find out the main differences between real and fake agate in the article below:Real vs. Mexican agate colors range from bright reds, blues, purples and yellows to pastel grays. If youre relatively new to rock collecting or are just looking for some tips on how to plan your trip to the field, Id recommend checking out my how-to guide for rock and mineral collectors. Fluorite is quite easy to identify due to its unique geometric structure. Worldwide distribution of peridot is fairly limited. If youre looking for a decent guide to New Mexicos minerals, you can check out Rockhounding New Mexico: A Guide To 140 Of The States Best Rockhounding Sites. Here are the most useful tools to take agate hunting: A spray bottle is one of the most useful tools for agate hunters. Coloration depends largely on what metallic compound creates the illusion. Still visible are the deep wagon-wheel ruts left by those frontiering souls traveling the 175-mile Santa Fe Trail . Guadalupe Canyon Agate, Arizona, no description, Getsinger (1961, p. 316), probably for Guadalupe Canyon that extends from 31o 20' 35" N to 31o 27' 56" N and 109o 02' 29" W and 109o 03' 46" W, Cochise County, Arizona, and Hidalgo County, New Mexico, Guadalupe Canyon and Guadalupe Springs Maps, U.S. Geological Survey 7.5' x 7.5'. Youll need to do some research into the local geology of your area, of course, because only specific kinds of rock produce or contain agates. Either way, the digging is in the desert, so you should be prepared for hot weather to go with your hot finds. The best places to rockhound near Albuquerque are the Rio Puerco Valley, the area surrounding Los Lunas, and Laguna. In its heyday, it was a rich mining town. Highly valuable specimens are stored away in humidity and light-controlled areas free of fluctuations, and not on the mantle shelf. Iris agates display a rainbow of colors throughout their tight bands when light hits at the right angle. . The area is set aside for the non-commercial collecting of agate, jasper, and petrified wood. The igneous stone is what holds the treasures. If you would like to read some of the source material for yourself I have listed them below. This article will dive deeper into the many great rockhounding sites across the state, but Id like to highlight a few standouts here. Flickr/micky mb. To access this mine, youll want to visit the Blanchard Rock Shop in Bingham, New Mexico. An exceptional reference for experts and novices alike, you can read about 140 of New Mexicos top sites to visit as a rockhound. The reason for going at low tide is because more of the beach will be exposed, giving you more ground to cover. Many types of rocks and minerals can be found around Albuquerque including agate, jasper, opalized and petrified wood, fluorite, and turquoise. They differ from Herkimer Diamonds in their color. These formations are unique to the Pecos Valley Region in southwest New Mexico. Depending on your local geology you may also be able to find agates in conglomerates that have formed from volcanic source rock. The best places to find turquoise in New Mexico are: Los Cerrillos Mining District Burro Mountains Mining District Hachita Mining District Jarilla Mining District These mining districts each contain many mines, both active and abandoned, and care should be taken to ensure you have permission to search and collect wherever you go. Whatever beach you choose, there will likely be some areas that look more gravelly than others. When the host rock around the agate is eroded away, the agates remain intact and remain for us rockhounds to find. Always The Best Prices. Not all gravelly areas will contain agates, so if you are checking out a location but you havent found anything within 10 or 15 minutes then youre probably going to be out of luck. Thank you for visiting Agates With Inclusions, please come again! Rock Hounding in the cobble fields near Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Apache Dendritic, 15 cm . This agate can be distinguished from others by its vibrant red, orange or yellow bands that usually feature white bands in-between. There are a number of public rockhounding sites in Oregon (link to complete rockhounding guide), most of which are managed by the BLM and open to rockhounds. Beaches are the best places to look for agates. If your local area has volcanic rock beds that have been exposed by road cuts then you may be in luck. The Rugged Rockhound 1.96K subscribers Subscribe 1.9K views 1 year ago #RockHounding #Gemhunting. Brightly colored jasper and agate can be found on both sides of the road for almost 5 miles. E of Truth or Consequences, Oscura Mountains, area mines, Blanchard Rock Shop (fee), Fort Sumner, S along both sides of Pecos River, Whites City, limestones outside park boundaries, this short article from the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Rockhounding on Public Land: Laws and Regulations, Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? Its basically a wire mesh scoop on a pole that allows you to pick up rocks without having to bend over to pick them up. Regardless of the end-use Iris Agate is a visual wonder when viewed from the correct angles. I would also highly recommend asking around at a local rock shop, or even joining a local rockhounding group that will be filled with people who know all of the best spots. It is when they are cut and polished that their intricate wavy patterns and colors are revealed. Unfortunately, not every beach lends itself to agate collecting. Catron County, Unpolished Facecut Rough. A dilapidated home in the ghost town in New Mexico called Steins (near Lordsburg). Easy rockhounding on road beds in the Jemez MountainsGo east from the Paliza Campground near Ponderosa, New Mexico on Forest Service Road 266 to find agate, . As with most states, each county in New Mexico will have records of who owns each piece of property. Flickr/Samat Jain. This is a pretty specialized tool that can greatly improve your quality of life if you plan to spend any significant amount of time hunting agates. It can be very helpful to take a spray bottle with you so you can quickly wash off the superficial dust from small areas to check for agates. 2, p. 22 Its one of the most expensive agates in the world, especially high-grade finished pieces meant for jewelry. Typically, formed in volcanic and metamorphic rocks, Agate is particularly common in Mexico because of the high number of volcanoes that go through the middle of the country. Follow These Simple Steps. If there are agates anywhere on the beach, theyll likely be mixed in with that gravel. The best rockhounding sites in Southeastern New Mexico are along the Pecos River, especially the areas near Roswell, Artesia, and south of Fort Sumner along US 60. The most highly sought-after specimens are usually replaced with agate or opal. In Mexico, you can find both fire agates and Laguna agates. Azurite is best known for its namesake deep blue azure color, which seems to reflect the deep blue dusk hour skies of the desert southwest. One thing to be aware of: it is against the law to collect any vertebrate-life fossils in the state. 5. The distinct color and translucence of agates really makes them pop in contrast to most other rocks youre likely to find on a beach. Certainly there are exceptions, but in my experience youd be pretty lucky to find an agate much larger than that. This is perpendicular to the banding but not necessarily the stone. The beautiful, unique forms make each piece different, regardless of the design of the metal. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. As such, no matter which direction one takes from the Casitas on a single day's outing, there are excellent collecting sites to be discovered. The best places to find turquoise in New Mexico are: These mining districts each contain many mines, both active and abandoned, and care should be taken to ensure you have permission to search and collect wherever you go. I encourage you to check them out if you are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting. Like many other popular areas to look for rocks in Mexico, this has led to a lot of Agave being found in the state of Chihuahua. Including a smorgasbord of rockhounding opportunities. The fortifications are enclosed bands that wrap around inside the nodule as the stone separated into different layers during its formation. Agates, quartz crystals, and opals have even been collected from here in the past. For the most part, plume agate will resemble feathers or smoke instead of moss. If you do happen to find a good spot, chances are you will be able to go back to that location over and over again and still be able to find more agates, especially if there is a storm or two between visits. Lake Superior is famous for its world-class agates. Its all about the unique plumes that make up each stone, creating a huge variety of differences even in the same location. 3 x 3 x 3 Geode with stalactites. In the metaphysical realm, agate is said to change negative energy into positive energy and to heal anxiety and internal anger. Agates form as secondary mineral deposits inside of cavities (called vesicles) in host rock, most commonly in the remnants of ancient gas pockets in volcanic rock. No photos or any other portion of this site may be copied without owner's permission. In New Mexico, I would recommend starting with the County Assessors office. While limited, there are quite a few places you can dig for it. It also collapses down for easy transportation and storage, and seems pretty durable. Old mines exist all over the hills just west of Shakespeare. The churning waves will have brought in fresh material for you to search, so even if you go to a very popular location that is normally picked clean there will probably be some good finds available for you. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; Some faces of the rock will probably still display some luster that almost appears greasy. The officially named "Baker Egg Mine" (NOT "Baker Ranch") Mine was opened by Lindburgs and then mined by Paul "GeodeKid" Calburn. Unless the agate has been freshly broken and is relatively clean it will likely be much harder to identify than a smooth agate you might find on a beach. $187.77 (10% off) FREE shipping. Thats definitely not the case every time, however, and there are some vivid reds and oranges to be found. Eyes can occur in many agates, but some areas like Botswana are known to host more of them. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "rockhoundreso-20"; A clickable map for different rockhounding sites located across the United States. The best are often split into display specimens, and theyre often more valuable that way instead of continuing to process the stone into cabochons. An abandoned SPMDTU building in the northern part of the state. Jasper is also available in Gila, a small community in Grant County of New Mexico. Its cool stuff, and theres a lot of variance in how it forms. The New Mexico state gemstone is Turquoise. A locations listing here is not a guarantee of accuracy. These agates only have horizontal stripes, as opposed to the complete bands of fortification agate, and can have many layers with different colors. The choppy water and heavy wave action tend to transport and uncover fresh agates, so those beaches tend to make for much better rockhounding destinations than calmer beaches. Expect detailed site information including the following. They allow people to collect at the surface and dig among tailing piles. When looking for agates keep your eye out for any rock that appears a bit more colorful or radiant than surrounding rocks. Another very famous type of agate that can also be found in the U.S. is fire agate. Try to find areas that have had recent digging activity if you are not quite sure where to start. Plumes are, quite often, multicolor as well. 119; 123; 126; 8.9mm X 7.9mm ; 11mm X 9mm; 8.9mm X 7.9mm.41" X .25".43" X .33 . The different varieties of agate stem from the myriad impurities and accessory minerals that accompany the quartz during the formation of the agate. Its located about two hours south of Albuquerque on Highway 380 at mile marker 30. While limited, there are quite a few places you can dig for it. Moss agate can come in a wide variety of colors other than green. How to Cut and Polish Agates? The best places to rockhounding in Southwestern New Mexico include many localities in Gila National Forest, Rockhound State Park, Kilbourne Hole, and the countless old mining dumps that dot the landscape. The primary specimens remaining here are general jasper and small thundereggs. It remains just as hard as the rest, but working your way carefully down to the formation is required to preserve the form and color play of the stone. South of Lordsburg, New Mexico theres an old ghost town by the name of Shakspeare. Tube agates are another example that has a wide range of coloration and value. One of the most common questions rockhounds have is whether or not they are allowed to collect at a certain location. It can be found in numerous locations, some of which are private mines and cannot be accessed whereas others are public rockhounding sites where you can go digging whenever you want. Copyright 2022 Rockhound Resource | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, extensive post about rockhounding laws and regulations for just about any type of public land, how-to guide for rock and mineral collectors. TIP: Fake agates have flooded online shops these days. Here are some of the most well-known and popular beaches on Lake Superior for agate hunting. Agate is found in over 40 locations across New Mexico. So where can you find agates? Petrified wood is created through the replacement of wood in ancient layers of stone. Theyre found near the Big Horn River and the Pryor Mountains. Some specimens even have hues of purple contained within them, but not quite on the level of amethyst. On the other hand, in some areas, you can find them where long seams have been eroded and passed into a river. Invertebrate fossils are spread across the state, but there are some areas that are more specific. One of the most highly sought-after types of agate is the fire agate. Of course, along with that comes challenges. Youll have better luck if you do your research beforehand. Other than petrified wood, New Mexico also has . It was discovered early on, that fluorite exposed to UV glows with a blue-violet color. 4 x 3 1/4 x 1/4 Agate with large sagenite sprays. If you are interested in checking out beautiful agate rocks you can find them by clickinghere(Amazon link). Plumes are a bit different than moss, although the similar look can make them a bit confusing. Naturally, us rockhounds want to know where we can find our own. (42) $168.99. Theyre always a nice surprise when you pull them off the saw! Flickr/Nicolas Pea. Compared to the rest of the state Northeastern New Mexico is relatively lacking in rockhounding sites, but there are still many worthwhile locations to investigate. Theyre generally opaque, ranging from off-white through to a rusty red. New Mexico. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. While some parts are friendly to the beginner,, there are more remote sites that offer more plentiful collection opportunities. My best finds yet! Agate new mexico. Where To Go Rockhounding In New Mexico 1. Most great rockhounding trips start with a bit of research, and this case is no different. Though this agate is much more abundant in certain parts of Mexico, it can also be found in Arizona, California (links to complete rockhouding guides), and New Mexico which shares a border with Mexico. Turquoise, Opal, Amethyst, Jasper, Red Beryl, Peridot & Azurite. A good specimen is amazing on the shelf, and it can be cut using the visuals of the stone to great effect. Top quality hyper rare fire agate from Mexico.925 silver pendant. It comes in light blues and earth tones. Theres even a map that shows you where to look for rocks in Oregon. The vast majority of BLM land is open to rock collecting, but if you are wondering about any specific type of public land I wrote an extensive post about rockhounding laws and regulations for just about any type of public land you can think of. Copper was extracted beginning in 1804 at Santa Rita. Situated just 30 miles east of the New Mexico-Arizona border, Casitas de Gila Guesthouses is located in the heart of this rockhounding paradise. Before heading out youll want to do at least a little bit of research. The cavity created is usually filled with a silica-based mineral. It has a blue/blue-grey color and is often used in jewelry. Waterline agate tends to not have vivid colors. Rockhound State Park is in southwestern New Mexico near the town of Deming. Fresh material will be churned up and youll be the first person to take a crack at finding anything. Got a bit of jasper, petrified wood, a really great agate, and possibly a fossil. Once the fragile gypsum erodes it leaves scattered outcrops of Pecos Diamonds throughout the Pecos River Valley. It's also home to a whole host of one-of-a-kind items made with love and extraordinary care. 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. In the U.S., agates are most commonly found along the shores of the Great Lakes, the beaches of the Pacific Coast, and in the deserts of many western states. Posted on Published: September 13, 2020- Last updated: July 13, 2022. Azurite is reactive and a little bit unstable, at least compared to most collectible minerals. Many have well-defined, regular banding, but some, such as Mexican Crazy Lace . The most famous of these is turquoise, which as the states gemstone has become nearly synonymous with the American Southwest. Fake Agate: You Should Know These 7 Differences, Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home), Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids), Are Agates Valuable rocks? Though there are many locations listed here, this list is far from exhaustive. All 50 States Answered, New Mexico Department of Wildlifes public land maps, New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources Rockhound Guide, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Opalized wood, Agatized wood, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Petrified wood, Apatite (blue), Bityite, Eurcyptite, Lepidolite (purple), Muscovite (rose), Quartz crystals, Spodumene, Tourmaline (green), Calcite crystals, Limonite crystals, Geodes, Dumortierite, Specularite, Chert (gem-quality), Agate, Azurite, Chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Chart, Garnet, Jasper, Quartzite, Petrified wood, Agatized dinosaur bones, Carbonized wood, Silicified mudballs, Agate, Chalcedony, Petrified wood, Turquoise, Agate (red, banded), Apache tears, Agatized wood, Obsidian, Searlesite, Villiaumite (fluorescent), other rare minerals, Actinolite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Mica, Bornite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Quartz crystals, Brochantite, Cerargyrite, Cerussite, Chalcopyrite, Molybdenite, Chrysocolla, Onyx, Rock crystal, Azurite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Ceragyrite, Chrysocolla, Fluorite, Galena, Malachite, Pyrite, Onyx, Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Chrysocolla, Jasper, Fluorite, Rock crystal, Argentite, Cerussite, Cuprite, Sphalerite, Calcite, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Turquoise, Albite, Amethyst, Biotite, Sanidine, Sphene, Argentite, Pyrargyrite, Silver (native), Sphalerite, Dumortierite, Hydrozincite, Pyrolusite, Quartz crystals, Smithsonite, Willemite, Agate (high quality, seam agate, sagenitic), Agate (sagenitic), Chalcedony (blue), Jasper, Agate, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Jasper, Fluorite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Galena, Gypsum, Jarosite, Limonite, Malachite, Turquoise, Agate, Opalized wood, Silicified wood, Petrified Palm, Azurite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Fluorite, Malachite, Quartz crystals(double terminated), Quartz clusters, Agate, Chalcedony, Elixirite, Jasper, Petrified Wood, Chrysocolla, Chalcocite, Atacamite, Azurite, Barite, Celestite, Cerussite, Dolomite crystals, Galena, Limonite, Malachite, Quartz crystals, Smithsonite (blue-green), Zinc minerals, Fossils, Agatized picture wood, Petrified cycad, Petrified Palm, Quartz cystals (clear, rose, red, smoky), Pecos diamonds.