RockWoofFound alongside
Tourmaline
Mohs 7–7.5. Long striated crystals, often black (schorl) or green and pink (elbaite). Mindat
14 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
12 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
12 sites
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
7 sites
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
7 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
7 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
By county
Amelia County (3) · Rockbridge County (2) · Prince William County (1) · Stafford County (1) · Northampton County (1) · Fluvanna County (1) · Goochland County (1) · Fauquier County (1) · Campbell County (1) · Orange County (1) · Amherst County (1)
Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morefield Mine | Feldspar, Mica | Albite, Beryl, Cassiterite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Ilmenite, Manganotantalite, Microlite, Muscovite, Pyrite, Pyrolusite, Rutile, Topaz | Past Producer | 37.361, -77.914 |
| Cundiff Barite Prospect | Barium-Barite | Barite | Occurrence | 37.148, -79.339 |
| Champion Mine | Mica | Beryl, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Marcasite, Microlite, Muscovite, Pyrite, Pyrochlore | Past Producer | 37.382, -77.966 |
| Manassas Gap Mine | Copper | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Copper, Cuprite, Malachite | Past Producer | 38.863, -78.123 |
| Moss Mine | Gold | Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Galena, Gold, Pyrite, Pyromorphite, Sphalerite, Vanadinite | Past Producer | 37.848, -78.085 |
| Cabin Branch Mine | Sulfur-Pyrite | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.575, -77.348 |
| Snead Mine | Gold | Chalcopyrite, Gold, Hemimorphite, Pyrite, Pyromorphite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.780, -78.257 |
| Saunders Prospect | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 38.231, -77.907 |
| Eagle Mine | Gold | Gold, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.358, -77.587 |
| Canal Tunnel Hematite Magnetite Prospect | Iron | Hematite, Magnetite | Past Producer | 37.531, -78.900 |
| Virginia Placer | Titanium, Metal | Ilmenite, Kyanite, Rutile, Zircon | Occurrence | 37.417, -75.333 |
| No.1 Workings Irish Creek | — | — | Past Producer | 37.849, -79.164 |
| No.2 Workings | — | — | Past Producer | 37.849, -79.165 |
| Rutherford No.3 | — | — | Past Producer | 37.358, -77.981 |
Back to Rockhounding in Virginia.
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