RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Unnamed Pge Occurrence
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Gold) and 5 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as occurrence for Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Platinum, Zinc, Palladium, Lead, Gold. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Gold, Pyrite, Galena, Copper. Approx. location 39.021, -77.603. 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?
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
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
5 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
2 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
2 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
2 sites
Galena
Mohs 2.5–2.75. Heavy, silvery lead ore that breaks into cubes. 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
Shale 3Chalcopyrite 2Bornite 1Galena 1Sphalerite 1Sandstone 1Gold 1Cuprite 1Silver 1Chrysocolla 1Malachite 1Commodities
Copper 5Iron 3Gold 2Cobalt 1Nickel 1Platinum 1Zinc 1Palladium 1Lead 1Manganese 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed Pge Occurrence | Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Platinum, Zinc, Palladium, Lead, Gold | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 39.021, -77.603 |
| Goose Creek Mine | Copper | Chalcopyrite, Cuprite, Silver | Past Producer | 39.094, -77.506 |
| Sterling Copper Occurrence | Copper, Manganese | Chrysocolla, Malachite | Occurrence | 39.006, -77.434 |
| Loudoun Prospect | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 39.300, -77.650 |
| Shale Prospect N. of Arcola | — | Sandstone, Shale | Occurrence | 38.966, -77.534 |
| Shale Prospect Sw of Sterling | — | Shale | Occurrence | 38.982, -77.447 |
| Shale Prospect S. of Gilberts Corner | — | Shale | Occurrence | 38.938, -77.624 |
| Furnace Mountain Mine | Iron | — | Past Producer | 39.252, -77.537 |
| Goose Creek Mine | Copper | — | Past Producer | 39.095, -77.510 |
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | — | Prospect | 39.038, -77.618 |
| Loudon Marble Co. Quarry | Marble, Dimension | — | Past Producer | 39.025, -77.682 |
| Unnamed Prospect | Copper | — | Prospect | 39.097, -77.501 |
| Furnace Mountain Mine | Iron | — | Past Producer | 39.261, -77.546 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 1 fossil collection records in Loudoun County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Fairfax County · Clarke County · Prince William County · Fauquier County · Warren 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