RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Fitchburg Area
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Beryl, Quartz) and 4 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 occurrence. Minerals mentioned: Beryl, Quartz, Mica, Feldspar. Approx. location 42.559, -71.799. 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?
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
A processing plant site.
Was producing when the record was made.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
6 sites
Feldspar
Mohs 6–6.5. Blocky crystals with flat cleavage faces. Mindat
4 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
2 sites
Beryl
Mohs 7.5–8. Six-sided crystals; aquamarine and emerald are beryl. Mindat
1 site
Tourmaline
Mohs 7–7.5. Long striated crystals, often black (schorl) or green and pink (elbaite). Mindat
1 site
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Mica 2Granite 2Feldspar 1Commodities
Mica 4Granite 4Iron 3Feldspar 2Lead 2Tungsten 1Titanium 1Metal 1Geothermal 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beryl Hill Mica Quarries | Mica, Feldspar | Feldspar, Mica | Occurrence | 42.690, -72.143 |
| H E Fletcher | Granite | Granite | Past Producer | 42.180, -71.509 |
| Castellucci and Sons | Granite | Granite | Past Producer | 42.162, -71.487 |
| South Royalston Mica Mine | Mica | Mica | Occurrence | 42.632, -72.149 |
| Milford Pink Granite Quarry | Granite | — | Past Producer | 42.162, -71.487 |
| Luciani Prospect | Tungsten | — | Prospect | 42.468, -71.796 |
| Bd Bloomfield Co--Worcester, Ma. | Lead | — | Plant | 42.262, -71.803 |
| Crucible Spec. Metals--Auburn, Ma. | Iron | — | Plant | 42.195, -71.836 |
| Sterling Prospect | Iron | — | Prospect | 42.424, -71.741 |
| Worcester B Plant Ti | Titanium, Metal | — | Plant | 42.167, -71.749 |
| South Royalston Mica Mine | Mica | — | Occurrence | 42.632, -72.149 |
| Leominster | — | — | Occurrence | 42.504, -71.783 |
| Hubbardston Mine | Iron | — | Past Producer | 42.475, -72.037 |
| Uxbridge Prospect | Lead | — | Prospect | 42.038, -71.647 |
| Beryl Hill Mica Quarries | Mica | — | Past Producer | 42.690, -72.143 |
| Milford Quarry | Granite | — | Producer | 42.180, -71.509 |
| Fitchburg Area | — | — | Occurrence | 42.559, -71.799 |
| Hardwick Pit | — | — | Past Producer | 42.350, -72.199 |
| Leominster Pit | Geothermal | — | Past Producer | 42.529, -71.761 |
Nearby counties
Middlesex County · Norfolk County · Suffolk County · Essex County · Plymouth County
Massachusetts mineral guides
- Mica in Massachusetts
- Feldspar in Massachusetts
- Pyrite in Massachusetts
- Galena in Massachusetts
- Copper in Massachusetts
- Silver in Massachusetts
Back to all Massachusetts 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