RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Sarasota County Deposit No. 1
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Fluorite) and 2 of our card minerals overall. That ties with 1 other site(s), so we broke the tie by mine status (past producers first), then USGS record quality, then name. USGS lists it as prospect for Phosphorus-Phosphates. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Fluorite. Approx. location 27.114, -82.108. 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?
Was producing when the record was made.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Status not recorded.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
2 sites
Fluorite
Mohs 4. Cubes in purple, green or yellow; many glow under UV. Mindat
2 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Sand 2Commodities
Calcium 3Sand 3Phosphorus-Phosphates 2Dolomite 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dot Sarasota - Cow Pen Slough Mine | Sand | Sand | Unknown | 27.155, -82.427 |
| Myakka River Resources - Green Mine | Sand | Sand | Unknown | 27.174, -82.377 |
| Sarasota County Deposit No. 1 | Phosphorus-Phosphates | — | Prospect | 27.114, -82.108 |
| Sarasota County Deposit No. 2 | Phosphorus-Phosphates | — | Occurrence | 27.186, -82.154 |
| Pit Number 007 | Calcium | — | Producer | 26.978, -82.358 |
| Rigby Pit | Calcium | — | Producer | 27.154, -82.405 |
| Laurel Pit Fla. Truck. & Excava. | Calcium | — | Producer | 27.153, -82.408 |
| Sarasota Dolomite Quarry | Dolomite | — | Occurrence | 27.384, -82.554 |
| General Development Corp. - County Mine | Sand | — | Producer | 27.085, -82.083 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 27 fossil collection records in Sarasota County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Charlotte County · DeSoto County · Manatee County · Hardee County · Hillsborough County
Florida mineral guides
Back to all Florida 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