RockWoofCheck access before you go. Most sites listed here are old mines, quarries or prospects, and many are on private land or active mining claims. Get the landowner's permission, check the rules of the agency that manages any public land, and never enter mine workings. Locations are approximate.
Found alongside
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
238 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
113 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
87 sites
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
86 sites
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
54 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
54 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
By county
Custer County (44) · Valley County (43) · Idaho County (39) · Latah County (16) · Clearwater County (14) · Cassia County (12) · Adams County (11) · Blaine County (9) · Elmore County (9) · Shoshone County (8) · Lemhi County (7) · Owyhee County (6) · Washington County (5) · Benewah County (5) · Boise County (3) · Gem County (2) · Bonner County (2) · Boundary County (1) · Ada County (1) · Butte County (1)
Sites (first 60)
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minidoka | Gold | Allanite, Augite, Garnet, Gold, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Platinum, Zircon | Past Producer | 42.671, -113.441 |
| Payette Placer | Garnet, Zirconium, Thorium, Tantalum, Niobium (Columbium), Gold, Uranium | Allanite, Euxenite, Garnet, Zircon | Occurrence | 44.104, -115.149 |
| Emerald Creek Placer | Garnet | Almandite | Producer | 47.028, -116.332 |
| Dismal Swamp Placer Mine | Niobium (Columbium) | Anatase, Cassiterite, Columbite, Garnet, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Monazite, Rutile, Xenotime, Zircon | Past Producer | 43.729, -115.370 |
| Snake Creek Placer | Gold | Andalusite, Garnet, Kyanite | Past Producer | 46.609, -115.926 |
| Blackdome Occurrence | — | Andalusite, Kyanite, Mullite | Occurrence | 46.977, -115.822 |
| Monumental Ridge Kyanite Deposit | Kyanite | Andalusite, Kyanite, Sillimanite | Occurrence | 47.025, -115.808 |
| Smith Ridge Kyanite Deposit | — | Andalusite, Kyanite, Sillimanite | Occurrence | 46.866, -115.853 |
| Woodrat Mountain Kyanite Prospect | Kyanite | Andalusite, Kyanite, Sillimanite | Prospect | 46.185, -115.763 |
| Champion Mine | Copper, Lead | Anglesite, Calamine, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Smithsonite | Producer | 43.860, -113.673 |
| Bay State Group Mine | Silver, Lead | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 42.757, -116.931 |
| Drummond Claim | Lead, Gold, Copper | Anglesite, Galena | Occurrence | 43.671, -113.925 |
| Kamiah Asbestos Mine | Asbestos | Anthophyllite | Past Producer | 46.216, -115.839 |
| Blue Gem Claims Prospect | Beryllium | Aquamarine | Occurrence | 43.940, -114.977 |
| Allgood Prospect | — | Aquamarine | Occurrence | 46.382, -115.834 |
| Glens Peak Prospects | Beryllium | Aquamarine, Beryl | Prospect | 43.947, -115.013 |
| Blue Jacket Mine | Copper | Argentite, Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Malachite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 45.126, -116.640 |
| Stanley Prospect | Beryllium | Beryl | Prospect | 43.666, -116.126 |
| Blue Crystal Prospect | Beryllium | Beryl | Prospect | 43.934, -114.998 |
| Adanac Claim | Beryllium | Beryl | Prospect | 44.215, -116.221 |
| L. and M. Prospect | — | Beryl | Occurrence | 48.800, -117.005 |
| Lucky Jim Prospect | Mica | Beryl | Past Producer | 46.903, -116.562 |
| Heywood Creek Occurrence | — | Beryl | Occurrence | 46.416, -115.850 |
| Morning Star Claims | — | Beryl | Occurrence | 46.900, -116.569 |
| Last Chance Mine | Mica | Beryl | Past Producer | 46.878, -116.582 |
| Luella Mine | Mica | Beryl | Past Producer | 46.878, -116.603 |
| Upper Billy Creek Mineral Occurrences | Molybdenum | Beryl, Molybdenite | Prospect | 43.921, -115.030 |
| Mizpah Mine | Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cubanite, Cuprite, Malachite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.997, -116.501 |
| South Peacock Mine | Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Malachite | Past Producer | 45.165, -116.651 |
| Arkansas Mine | Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Malachite | Past Producer | 45.124, -116.633 |
| Gemmill Prospect | Copper, Gold, Silver | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite | Occurrence | 46.719, -116.699 |
| Queen Mine | Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Cuprite, Malachite | Past Producer | 45.128, -116.646 |
| Standard Shaft Mine | Silver, Lead | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Smithsonite, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 42.743, -116.909 |
| Texas Claim Mine | Silver, Gold, Lead | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Galena, Malachite, Smithsonite, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 42.745, -116.906 |
| Peacock Mine | Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Malachite | Past Producer | 45.169, -116.652 |
| Feather Creek Prospect | — | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Malachite | Occurrence | 46.962, -116.418 |
| Lockwood Mine | Copper | Bornite, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Molybdenite | Past Producer | 45.131, -116.655 |
| Alaska Mine | Tungsten, Copper | Bornite, Powellite | Past Producer | 45.133, -116.648 |
| Kelley Creek Placer | Gold | Brannerite, Cinnabar, Euxenite, Garnet, Gold, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Monazite, Rutile, Sphene | Prospect | 44.272, -114.927 |
| The Great Centennial Placer | Gold | Brannerite, Euxenite, Garnet, Gold, Ilmenite, Monazite, Zircon | Past Producer | 44.249, -114.677 |
| Centauras Workings | Gold | Brannerite, Euxenite, Garnet, Hematite, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Monazite, Sphene, Zircon | Past Producer | 44.256, -114.691 |
| Jordan Creek Placer | Gold | Brannerite, Euxenite, Garnet, Zircon | Past Producer | 44.387, -114.727 |
| Combination Prospect | Lead, Zinc, Silver | Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 45.038, -115.415 |
| St. Joe Quartz Prospect | Zinc, Lead, Copper | Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 47.190, -115.496 |
| Climax Prospect | — | Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 44.732, -116.814 |
| Colorado Group | Copper, Lead, Silver | Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 44.392, -113.259 |
| Salmon Canyon Copper Company Prospect | Copper, Cobalt | Chalcopyrite | Past Producer | 45.301, -114.557 |
| Mayflower Group Occurrence | Copper | Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 45.281, -114.288 |
| Tiger Group Mine | Copper | Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla | Past Producer | 43.895, -113.679 |
| Gray Copper Prospect | Copper | Chalcopyrite, Cobaltite | Occurrence | 45.162, -114.358 |
| Idaho Cobalt | Copper, Cobalt | Chalcopyrite, Cobaltite, Erythrite, Pyrrhotite, Arsenopyrite, Linnaeite, Safflorite, Enargite | Producer | 45.130, -114.364 |
| Coxcomb Peak Occurrence | Gold, Lead, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Copper, Gold, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 42.737, -116.894 |
| Baker Lake Prospect | Molybdenum | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Malachite, Molybdenite, Scheelite, Sphalerite | Prospect | 44.059, -114.560 |
| Meadowview Prospect | Zinc, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Scheelite, Sphalerite | Prospect | 44.022, -114.658 |
| Phi Kappa Creek Deposit | Tungsten, Lead, Zinc | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Scheelite, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 43.839, -114.203 |
| Bald Eagle Prospect | Gold, Copper, Silver, Lead | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 43.690, -114.302 |
| Valley Chief Nos. 1-11 Claims | Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Prospect | 43.977, -115.237 |
| Deer Trail Mine | Zinc | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 44.049, -114.656 |
| Basin Group Prospect | Lead | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Prospect | 43.842, -114.258 |
| Success Mine | Zinc | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 47.527, -115.872 |
Back to Rockhounding in Idaho.
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