RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Redwood Mine
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Gold, Silver) and 2 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as past producer for Gold, Silver. Minerals mentioned: Gold, Silver. Approx. location 37.004, -79.797. 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.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
2 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
1 site
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
1 site
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
1 site
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
1 site
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Bornite 1Chalcopyrite 1Goethite 1Pyrite 1Pyrrhotite 1Sphalerite 1Gold 1Silver 1Commodities
Iron 3Copper 2Talc-Soapstone 1Gold 1Silver 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grassy Hill Prospect | Copper | Bornite | Occurrence | 37.017, -79.900 |
| Howell Mine | Iron, Copper | Chalcopyrite, Goethite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 36.950, -80.183 |
| Redwood Mine | Gold, Silver | Gold, Silver | Past Producer | 37.004, -79.797 |
| Pigg River Iron Mine | Iron | — | Occurrence | 36.975, -79.927 |
| Kine Ramsey Mine | Talc-Soapstone, Iron | — | Past Producer | 36.829, -79.982 |
Nearby counties
Franklin County · Roanoke city · Roanoke County · Pittsylvania County · Montgomery County
Virginia mineral guides
- Beryl in Virginia
- Tourmaline in Virginia
- Quartz in Virginia
- Garnet in Virginia
- Gold in Virginia
- Mica in Virginia
Back to all Virginia 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