RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Prosser
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 prospect for Gold. Minerals mentioned: Gold, Silver. Approx. location 46.219, -119.704. 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.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
Status not recorded.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
8 sites
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 2Commodities
Gold 8Gemstone 1Diatomite 1Flagstone 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berrian Island Placer | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 45.947, -119.257 |
| Gone Busted Placer | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 45.891, -119.656 |
| Artesian Coulee Placer | Gold | — | Unknown | 45.859, -119.858 |
| Barrel Springs | Gemstone | — | Prospect | 46.529, -119.866 |
| Prosser | Gold | — | Prospect | 46.219, -119.704 |
| Chinaman Bar Placer | Gold | — | Past Producer | 46.624, -119.786 |
| Kiona | Diatomite | — | Occurrence | 46.265, -119.540 |
| Prosser Quarry | Flagstone | — | Past Producer | 46.219, -119.715 |
| Berrian Island Placer | Gold | — | Past Producer | 45.947, -119.245 |
| Blalock Island Placer | Gold | — | Past Producer | 45.919, -119.611 |
| Gone Busted Placer | Gold | — | Past Producer | 45.918, -119.612 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 1 fossil collection records in Benton County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Franklin County · Klickitat County · Adams County · Grant County · Columbia County
Washington mineral guides
- Tourmaline in Washington
- Quartz in Washington
- Garnet in Washington
- Gold in Washington
- Mica in Washington
- Feldspar in Washington
Back to all Washington 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