RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Swab Mine
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 3 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Gold, Silver) and 5 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as occurrence for Gold, Copper. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Gold, Pyrite, Copper, Silver. Approx. location 37.544, -105.528. USGS record.
Ask first: a USGS record doesn’t mean you can visit. Find out who owns the land and get permission before collecting.
Field cards: what kind of sites?
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
Was producing when the record was made.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
4 sites
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
4 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
2 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
1 site
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
1 site
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Gold 2Pyrite 1Chalcopyrite 1Commodities
Gold 4Silver 3Copper 2Sodium 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed Prospect | Gold, Silver | Gold | Occurrence | 37.578, -105.489 |
| Swab Mine | Gold, Copper | Gold, Pyrite, Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 37.544, -105.528 |
| Blanca Mine | Gold | — | Past Producer | 37.574, -105.501 |
| San Luis Lake | Sodium | — | Producer | 37.670, -105.609 |
| West Blanca District | Copper | — | Past Producer | 37.548, -105.544 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 55 fossil collection records in Alamosa County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Costilla County · Huerfano County · Las Animas County · Custer County · Conejos County
Colorado mineral guides
- Beryl in Colorado
- Tourmaline in Colorado
- Quartz in Colorado
- Garnet in Colorado
- Gold in Colorado
- Mica in Colorado
Back to all Colorado counties.
How we built this page: we counted named sites in the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) for this area, left out sand, gravel, crushed stone, clay pits and unnamed sites, grouped them by Census county, and linked every site to its USGS record. We did not visit these sites, and MRDS does not tell you who owns the land or whether collecting is allowed.
Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS). USGS ceased systematic updates to MRDS around 2011, so status and details may be out of date. Each site links to its USGS record.
Updated