Found alongside
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
4,864 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
3,750 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
1,949 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
975 sites
Galena
Mohs 2.5–2.75. Heavy, silvery lead ore that breaks into cubes. Mindat
814 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
629 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
By county
Clear Creek County (983) · Boulder County (407) · San Juan County (367) · Gilpin County (314) · Gunnison County (307) · Summit County (306) · Saguache County (237) · San Miguel County (198) · La Plata County (190) · Dolores County (183) · Pitkin County (176) · Mineral County (139) · Custer County (132) · Chaffee County (123) · Hinsdale County (113) · Ouray County (109) · Lake County (76) · Park County (64) · Rio Grande County (43) · Fremont County (42) · Routt County (37) · Costilla County (37) · Larimer County (35) · Conejos County (34) · Montezuma County (27) · Montrose County (24) · Teller County (20) · Huerfano County (19) · Eagle County (19) · Jackson County (15) · Jefferson County (15) · Garfield County (11) · Baca County (10) · Grand County (9) · Moffat County (8) · Archuleta County (8) · El Paso County (7) · Douglas County (6) · Las Animas County (4) · Alamosa County (4) · Elbert County (2) · Mesa County (2) · Delta County (1) · Kit Carson County (1)
Sites (first 60)
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeport Tunnel | Silver | Acanthite | Prospect | 37.871, -106.935 |
| Emperius Mine | Silver, Lead, Zinc, Copper | Acanthite, Anglesite, Cerargyrite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Greenockite, Pyrite, Pyromorphite, Silver, Smithsonite, Sphalerite, Tennantite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 37.885, -106.938 |
| Commodore Mine | Zinc, Silver, Lead | Acanthite, Anglesite, Cerargyrite, Pyrite, Pyromorphite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 37.871, -106.930 |
| Caribou Mine | Gold, Lead, Silver | Acanthite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Pyrargyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Pitchblende | Past Producer | 39.981, -105.583 |
| Sherman MIne | Silver, Lead | Acanthite, Chalcocite, Galena, Silver, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 39.228, -106.176 |
| Stewart Mine | Gold | Altaite, Arsenopyrite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Prospect | 39.042, -106.578 |
| Golden Fleece Mine | Silver, Gold, Copper, Lead | Altaite, Bornite, Covellite, Galena, Hessite, Krennerite, Petzite, Pitchblende, Sphalerite, Sylvanite | Past Producer | 37.981, -107.301 |
| Empress Josephine Mine | Silver, Lead, Zinc, Gold | Altaite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Galena, Hessite, Petzite, Pyrite, Rickardite, Sphalerite, Sylvanite, Tennantite | Past Producer | 38.299, -106.136 |
| Hamilton Mine | Gold, Silver | Altaite, Gold, Hessite | Prospect | 37.556, -105.488 |
| Rico District | Zinc, Silver, Lead, Copper | Alunite | Past Producer | 37.693, -108.031 |
| Piedra Peak-Red Mountain Alunite Deposits | Aluminum | Alunite | Occurrence | 37.580, -106.992 |
| Calico Peak Alunite Deposit | Aluminum | Alunite | Occurrence | 37.710, -108.090 |
| Democrat Hill deposit | Potassium, Silver, Aluminum, Gold | Alunite, Diaspore, Kaolinite, Pyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.105, -105.361 |
| La Sal District | Copper, Silver | Amalgam, Argentite, Bornite, Chrysocolla, Copper, Cuprite, Galena, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite | Producer | 38.311, -108.950 |
| Cashin Mine | Silver, Copper | Amalgam, Argentite, Bornite, Copper, Cuprite, Galena, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite | Producer | 38.311, -108.950 |
| Cliffdweller Mine | Copper, Silver | Amalgam, Argentite, Bornite, Copper, Cuprite, Galena, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite | Past Producer | 38.316, -108.952 |
| Comstock Mine | Gold, Silver | Amalgam, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Gold, Pyrite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 37.377, -108.078 |
| Blue, Joy, Champell, J&S#1, Boomer | Beryllium | Amblygonite, Beryl, Fluorite, Hematite, Malachite, Pyrite, Silver, Tantalite | Producer | 39.079, -105.449 |
| Aspen District | Silver, Lead, Zinc | Anglesite, Argentite, Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Hemimorphite, Malachite, Polybasite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrite, Smithsonite, Sphalerite, Tenorite, Tetrahedrite, Wurtzite | Past Producer | 39.174, -106.822 |
| Sedalia Mine | Zinc, Copper | Anglesite, Aurichalcite, Chalcanthite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Gahnite, Galena, Gold, Hydrozincite, Malachite, Silver, Smithsonite, Sphalerite, Tenorite, Willemite | Past Producer | 38.590, -106.020 |
| Cotopaxi Mine | Copper, Zinc | Anglesite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Gahnite, Galena, Goethite, Gold, Hematite, Limonite, Magnetite, Malachite, Molybdenite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Scheelite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 38.380, -105.698 |
| Last Chance Mine | Silver, Lead, Gold | Anglesite, Cerargyrite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Greenockite, Pyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 37.882, -106.937 |
| Amethyst Mine | Silver, Lead, Gold, Zinc | Anglesite, Cerargyrite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Gold, Greenockite, Pyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 37.885, -106.938 |
| Silent Friend | Silver, Gold, Lead | Anglesite, Cerussite, Galena, Pyrite | Producer | 38.634, -106.470 |
| Moro Mine | Silver, Lead | Anglesite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.999, -107.485 |
| Gilman (Red Cliff) District | Lead, Gold, Zinc, Silver, Copper | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Cerargyrite, Cerussite, Galena, Hemimorphite, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite, Psilomelane, Pyrolusite, Smithsonite | Past Producer | 39.534, -106.392 |
| Ruby Mine | Copper, Zinc, Lead, Silver | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Malachite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 39.020, -106.607 |
| Happy Thought Mine | Silver, Lead, Zinc, Gold | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Silver, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.890, -106.940 |
| Wellington Group | Zinc, Silver, Lead | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Limonite, Pyrite, Smithsonite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.713, -108.022 |
| Forest-Payroll Mine | Zinc, Lead, Silver | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Limonite, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.694, -108.010 |
| Unnamed Prospect | Silver, Lead, Copper, Gold | Anglesite, Galena | Prospect | 37.259, -105.325 |
| Carbonate Mine | Zinc, Silver, Lead | Anglesite, Galena | Producer | 39.462, -105.983 |
| Unnamed Prospect | Copper, Gold, Silver, Lead | Anglesite, Galena | Prospect | 37.263, -105.333 |
| Unnamed Prospect | Gold, Copper, Lead, Silver | Anglesite, Galena | Prospect | 37.263, -105.331 |
| Kokomo District | Gold, Lead, Zinc, Silver | Anglesite, Galena, Cerussite, Gold, Covellite, Marcasite, Malachite, Pyrite, Smithsonite, Pyrrhotite, Silver, Sphalerite, Chalcopyrite | Past Producer | 39.425, -106.191 |
| Park Regent Mine | Silver, Lead, Zinc | Anglesite, Galena, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.894, -106.944 |
| Phoenix Mine | Lead, Zinc, Silver | Anglesite, Galena, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.897, -106.920 |
| North Star | Silver, Lead | Anglesite, Galena, Tetrahedrite | Producer | 37.796, -107.598 |
| Superior Mine | Lead, Silver, Copper, Zinc, Gold | Ankerite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 39.566, -105.862 |
| White Swan | Lead, Silver | Ankerite, Galena, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 39.506, -105.878 |
| Gem Mine | Nickel | Annabergite, Chalcocite, Niccolite, Silver, Bornite, Chalcopyrite | Past Producer | 38.276, -105.547 |
| Gold Nugget | Gold, Silver | Argentite | Producer | 37.817, -107.534 |
| Preston Gold Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite | Past Producer | 38.151, -105.451 |
| Ridgway | Gold, Silver | Argentite | Producer | 37.831, -107.538 |
| Little Maud | Silver | Argentite | Occurrence | 37.832, -107.538 |
| Mammoth | Gold, Silver | Argentite | Producer | 37.962, -107.583 |
| Carter-Raymond project | Gold | Argentite, Arsenopyrite, Chalcopyrite, Electrum, Galena, Gold, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.616, -106.588 |
| General Teller Lode | Silver, Lead, Zinc | Argentite, Barite, Galena, Sphalerite | Producer | 39.556, -105.882 |
| Poughkeepsie | Silver, Bismuth | Argentite, Bismuth, Chalcopyrite, Pyrite, Tetrahedrite | Producer | 37.940, -107.626 |
| Neglected Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Coloradoite, Covellite, Enargite, Krennerite, Petzite, Sylvanite | Past Producer | 37.437, -107.945 |
| Round Mountain Prospect | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Bromyrite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Jarosite, Pyrite | Prospect | 38.143, -105.423 |
| Kate Mine | Silver | Argentite, Bromyrite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Pyrite | Past Producer | 38.145, -105.454 |
| Puzzle Mine | Silver | Argentite, Bromyrite, Silver | Past Producer | 37.714, -108.049 |
| Eagle Mine | Silver, Lead | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Proustite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite | Past Producer | 38.269, -106.129 |
| Hawk Tunnel | Silver, Lead | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Proustite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite | Past Producer | 38.268, -106.129 |
| Hill Top Mine | Lead, Silver, Gold, Copper, Zinc | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Freibergite | Producer | 39.208, -106.176 |
| Mollie S. Mine | Silver | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Galena, Silver | Past Producer | 37.873, -106.913 |
| Lone Cone District | Silver, Gold, Copper, Lead | Argentite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Coal, Galena, Polybasite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrite, Sphalerite, Stibnite, Tennantite | Producer | 37.773, -108.095 |
| Bachelor Mine | Lead, Silver | Argentite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Pyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 37.873, -106.933 |
| Cumberland Mine | Gold, Silver | Argentite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Proustite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrite, Sphalerite, Stephanite | Past Producer | 37.443, -108.007 |
Back to Rockhounding in Colorado.
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