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
Tourmaline
Mohs 7–7.5. Long striated crystals, often black (schorl) or green and pink (elbaite). Mindat
63 sites
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
47 sites
Feldspar
Mohs 6–6.5. Blocky crystals with flat cleavage faces. Mindat
42 sites
Beryl
Mohs 7.5–8. Six-sided crystals; aquamarine and emerald are beryl. Mindat
35 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
34 sites
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
28 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
By county
Larimer County (14) · Fremont County (13) · Jefferson County (12) · Gunnison County (7) · Chaffee County (4) · El Paso County (3) · Saguache County (2) · Montrose County (2) · Park County (1) · Pitkin County (1) · Clear Creek County (1) · Montezuma County (1) · La Plata County (1) · Dolores County (1)
Sites (first 60)
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meyers Mine | Feldspar, Mica | Albite, Amblygonite, Beryl, Bismutite, Lepidolite, Microcline, Muscovite | Producer | 38.481, -105.292 |
| Silver Rocker Group | Feldspar, Mica | Albite, Beryl, Columbite, Garnet, Muscovite, Orthoclase, Tantalite | Producer | 38.626, -105.956 |
| Roscoe Gulch Pegmatites | Beryllium, Mica, Feldspar | Allanite, Beryl, Microcline, Monazite, Muscovite | Past Producer | 39.747, -105.373 |
| Rico District | Zinc, Silver, Lead, Copper | Alunite | Past Producer | 37.693, -108.031 |
| Crystal Park Area | Beryllium, Gemstone | Amazonstone, Zircon | Producer | 38.832, -104.932 |
| Rattlesnake Park Mine | Lithium, Beryllium | Amblygonite, Beryl | Producer | 40.356, -105.298 |
| 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 |
| Neglected Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Coloradoite, Covellite, Enargite, Krennerite, Petzite, Sylvanite | Past Producer | 37.437, -107.945 |
| Mt Ethel Mine | Beryllium | Beryl | Past Producer | 40.632, -105.353 |
| Rita Beryl Mine | Beryllium | Beryl | Past Producer | 40.543, -105.451 |
| Huckleberry Mine | Beryllium | Beryl | Occurrence | 40.551, -105.488 |
| Hide Above Lode | Beryllium, Lithium | Beryl | Past Producer | 40.469, -105.384 |
| Calypso Beryl Mine | Beryllium | Beryl | Occurrence | 40.536, -105.449 |
| Hanks Hole Mine | Beryllium | Beryl | Occurrence | 40.632, -105.353 |
| Bigger Mica Mine | Feldspar, Mica, Beryllium | Beryl, Bismuthinite, Bismutite, Cassiterite, Columbite, Microcline, Monazite, Muscovite | Past Producer | 39.565, -105.215 |
| School Section Mine | Mica, Beryllium, Feldspar | Beryl, Bismutite, Chalcocite, Chrysocolla, Columbite, Covellite, Malachite, Microcline, Muscovite, Silver, Thorite | Producer | 38.472, -105.344 |
| Mica Lode Mine | Quartz, Mica, Feldspar, Beryllium | Beryl, Bismutite, Chalcocite, Lepidolite, Malachite, Microcline, Muscovite | Past Producer | 38.479, -105.302 |
| Meyers Ranch | Feldspar, Mica, Beryllium, Niobium (Columbium) | Beryl, Bismutite, Columbite, Microcline, Monazite | Past Producer | 38.793, -105.596 |
| Crystal Mountain Pegmatite District | Mica, Beryllium, Uranium, Feldspar | Beryl, Chrysoberyl, Microcline, Muscovite, Tourmaline, Uraninite | Producer | 40.539, -105.433 |
| Tall Timber Group | Mica, Beryllium, Feldspar | Beryl, Columbite, Muscovite, Tantalite | Past Producer | 39.646, -105.273 |
| Buckman Ranch Pegmatite | Iron, Beryllium, Gemstone, Quartz, Garnet, Mica, Feldspar | Beryl, Feldspar, Garnet, Magnetite, Mica, Quartz, Tourmaline | Occurrence | 39.582, -105.242 |
| Chief #1-5 Mine | Quartz, Feldspar, Beryllium, Lithium | Beryl, Feldspar, Lepidolite | Producer | 38.483, -105.596 |
| Opportunity | Mica, Beryllium, Niobium (Columbium), Tantalum, Gemstone | Beryl, Lepidolite, Microlite, Tantalite, Topaz, Tourmaline | Occurrence | 38.508, -106.666 |
| Colfelco No. 12 Pegmatite | Feldspar | Beryl, Microcline | Past Producer | 38.458, -105.355 |
| Consolidated Feldspar Corporation Mine | Feldspar, Mica | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite | Past Producer | 38.489, -105.339 |
| Cressmans Gulch Prospect | Feldspar, Beryllium | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite | Past Producer | 39.786, -105.256 |
| Van Buskirk Pegmatite | Feldspar | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite | Prospect | 38.481, -105.311 |
| Suzana Pegmatite | Feldspar | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite | Occurrence | 38.483, -105.291 |
| Big Boulder Prospect | Mica | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite | Past Producer | 40.521, -105.408 |
| Jim 3 Mine | Feldspar, Mica | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite | Occurrence | 38.370, -105.537 |
| Spikebuck Mine | Feldspar | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite, Quartz | Past Producer | 38.453, -105.471 |
| Corral Pole Mine | Mica, Beryllium, Feldspar | Beryl, Microcline, Muscovite, Tourmaline, Uraninite | Past Producer | 40.552, -105.417 |
| R. H. Magnuson Mine | Feldspar, Quartz | Beryl, Microcline, Quartz | Prospect | 38.471, -105.301 |
| Ajax Mica Mine | Mica | Beryl, Muscovite | Past Producer | 39.749, -105.441 |
| Pan Claims | Beryllium | Beryl, Muscovite | Past Producer | 40.572, -105.430 |
| Hyatt Ranch Mine | Feldspar, Beryllium, Mica | Beryl, Muscovite | Producer | 40.460, -105.353 |
| Buckhorn Mica Mine | Mica, Beryllium | Beryl, Muscovite, Spodumene | Producer | 40.537, -105.377 |
| Fred Pierce Ranch | Feldspar, Gemstone, Mica, Quartz | Biotite, Feldspar, Quartz, Tourmaline | Producer | 39.777, -105.305 |
| Iowa Gulch | Quartz, Feldspar, Mica, Gemstone, Garnet, Iron | Biotite, Garnet, Magnetite, Microcline, Muscovite, Plagioclase, Quartz, Tourmaline | Occurrence | 39.589, -105.230 |
| Seven Hills-Yetter Ranch Pegmatite | Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Garnet, Gemstone | Biotite, Garnet, Microcline, Muscovite, Quartz, Tourmaline | Occurrence | 39.661, -105.324 |
| Hiwan Ranch | Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Garnet, Gemstone | Biotite, Garnet, Microcline, Plagioclase, Quartz, Tourmaline | Producer | 39.719, -105.380 |
| Muscovite #1, 2 | Mica | Biotite, Garnet, Muscovite, Tourmaline | Occurrence | 38.540, -107.548 |
| Goat Hill #1 | Mica | Biotite, Garnet, Muscovite, Tourmaline | Occurrence | 38.540, -107.548 |
| Willow Creek District | Gold, Silver, Copper | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.321, -107.038 |
| Gunnison District | Gold, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 38.475, -106.913 |
| Green Mountain District | Gold, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.417, -106.831 |
| Gold Basin area | Gold, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 38.441, -106.895 |
| Lucky Strike Mine | Gold | Chalcopyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.431, -106.854 |
| Drew Hill Prospect | Beryllium | Chrysoberyl, Muscovite | Occurrence | 39.828, -105.315 |
| Stockton Mine | Tungsten, Copper | Chrysocolla, Cuprite, Gold, Scheelite | Past Producer | 38.513, -105.964 |
| Gypse Queen Mine | Copper | Cuprite, Gold, Silver | Producer | 38.501, -105.967 |
| G.H. Buckman Ranch | Quartz, Gemstone, Feldspar, Mica | Feldspar, Muscovite, Quartz, Tourmaline | Producer | 39.777, -105.305 |
| I. Kreiner Mine | Quartz, Feldspar | Feldspar, Quartz | Past Producer | 38.049, -105.724 |
| Fenders-Magnotte Peg | Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Garnet, Gemstone | Garnet, Muscovite, Plagioclase, Quartz, Tourmaline | Occurrence | 39.575, -105.211 |
| Wheel of Fortune Mine | Gold, Silver, Lead | Gold, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.852, -108.018 |
| Ilmenite Pegmatite | Feldspar | Ilmenite, Microcline | Occurrence | 38.366, -105.534 |
| Unnamed Mine | Feldspar, Uranium | Microcline | Past Producer | 38.411, -106.256 |
| Horsepasture Pegmatites | Feldspar | Microcline | Occurrence | 38.376, -105.535 |
| Snowmass Creek Mine | Copper, Silver | Pyrite | Past Producer | 39.221, -106.978 |
| Little Johnnie Mine | Thorium | Thorite | Occurrence | 38.322, -107.087 |
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