RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Austin Site
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 1 gem or collectible mineral (Quartz) and 1 of our card minerals overall. That ties with 4 other site(s), so we broke the tie by mine status (past producers first), then USGS record quality, then name. USGS lists it as past producer for Silica. Minerals mentioned: Quartz. Approx. location 42.331, -86.292. 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.
Was producing when the record was made.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
5 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Quartz 5Commodities
Silica 5Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Busse Site | Silica | Quartz | Producer | 42.306, -86.309 |
| Nadeau Site | Silica | Quartz | Past Producer | 42.250, -86.350 |
| Austin Site | Silica | Quartz | Past Producer | 42.331, -86.292 |
| Garlanger Site | Silica | Quartz | Past Producer | 42.287, -86.291 |
| Rose Pit | Silica | Quartz | Past Producer | 42.261, -86.313 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 11 fossil collection records in Van Buren County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Berrien County · Allegan County · Ottawa County · Calhoun County · Muskegon County
Michigan mineral guides
- Tourmaline in Michigan
- Quartz in Michigan
- Garnet in Michigan
- Gold in Michigan
- Mica in Michigan
- Feldspar in Michigan
Back to all Michigan 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 USGS ceased systematic updates to MRDS around 2011, so status and details may be out of date.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