RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Eagle Mine
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 4 gem or collectible minerals (Tourmaline, Quartz, Gold, Silver) and 5 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as past producer for Gold. Minerals mentioned: Tourmaline, Quartz, Gold, Pyrite, Silver. Approx. location 38.358, -77.587. 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
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
13 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
11 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
5 sites
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
2 sites
Tourmaline
Mohs 7–7.5. Long striated crystals, often black (schorl) or green and pink (elbaite). Mindat
1 site
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
1 site
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. 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
Gold 11Clay 5Pyrite 4Sphalerite 1Chalcopyrite 1Commodities
Gold 13Iron 2Sulfur 2Sulfur-Pyrite 1Diatomite 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Run Mine | Sulfur-Pyrite | Chalcopyrite, Pyrite | Past Producer | 38.463, -77.422 |
| Clay Prospect S. of Fitters Corner | — | Clay | Occurrence | 38.369, -77.366 |
| Clay Prospect S. of Stafford Court House | — | Clay | Occurrence | 38.401, -77.423 |
| Clay Prospect S. of Stafford | — | Clay | Occurrence | 38.382, -77.422 |
| Clay Prospect W. of Butzner Corner | — | Clay | Occurrence | 38.254, -77.377 |
| Clay Prospect S. of Daffin's Crossing | — | Clay | Occurrence | 38.341, -77.401 |
| Prospect A Stafford Co. | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 38.370, -77.599 |
| Pris-King Mine | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.373, -77.596 |
| Macdonald Prospect | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 38.369, -77.583 |
| Lee Prospect | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 38.366, -77.574 |
| Monroe Mine | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.374, -77.610 |
| Wise Farm Mine | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.353, -77.595 |
| New Hope Mine | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.392, -77.564 |
| Horse Pen Mine | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.361, -77.584 |
| Elliot Farm Mine | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.375, -77.606 |
| Rattlesnake Mine | Gold | Gold, Pyrite | Past Producer | 38.369, -77.604 |
| Eagle Mine | Gold | Gold, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 38.358, -77.587 |
| Washington Mine | Iron | Pyrite | Past Producer | 38.434, -77.456 |
| Washington Mine | Iron, Sulfur | — | Past Producer | 38.425, -77.451 |
| Monroe Mine | Gold | — | Past Producer | 38.388, -77.607 |
| Eagle Mine | Diatomite | — | Past Producer | 38.371, -77.605 |
| Horse Pin Mine | Gold | — | Past Producer | 38.353, -77.585 |
| Austin Run Mine | Sulfur | — | Past Producer | 38.458, -77.416 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 23 fossil collection records in Stafford County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Culpeper County · Spotsylvania County · Orange County · Fauquier County · Prince William 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