RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Moclips Placer
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 3 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Gold, Silver) and 3 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as occurrence for Chromium, REE, Thorium. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Gold, Silver. Approx. location 47.240, -124.218. 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.
Status not recorded.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
9 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
3 sites
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
3 sites
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
3 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
2 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
Bementite 20Ilmenite 4Pyrolusite 4Gold 3Magnetite 3Zircon 3Rhodonite 3Garnet 2Olivine 2Chromite 2Manganite 2Psilomelane 2Commodities
Manganese 45Iron 8Gold 8Titanium 4Silica 4Metal 3Platinum 3REE 3Zirconium 1Chromium 1Sites (first 40)
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens Creek No. 6 Claim | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.363, -123.879 |
| Stevens Creek No. 2 Claim | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.361, -123.878 |
| Cook Creek | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.377, -123.861 |
| East Cook Creek | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.380, -123.852 |
| Egge | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.375, -123.862 |
| Antlers Claim | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.361, -123.877 |
| Pioneer Claim | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.372, -123.874 |
| Egge Claims | Manganese | Bementite | Past Producer | 47.379, -123.856 |
| Wynoochee | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.467, -123.558 |
| Skunk-Cook Creek Divide Claim | Manganese | Bementite | Occurrence | 47.377, -123.857 |
| Lizard Claim | Manganese | Bementite | Past Producer | 47.375, -123.874 |
| Skunk Creek No. 19 Claim | Manganese | Bementite, Goethite, Hematite, Limonite, Pyrolusite, Rhodonite | Past Producer | 47.373, -123.878 |
| Burnt Peak Mine | Manganese | Bementite, Hausmannite | Past Producer | 47.325, -123.873 |
| Burnt Peak | Manganese | Bementite, Hausmannite | Occurrence | 47.326, -123.874 |
| Esther-Irene | Manganese | Bementite, Manganite, Psilomelane | Occurrence | 47.382, -123.881 |
| Esther-Irene | Manganese | Bementite, Manganite, Psilomelane | Past Producer | 47.386, -123.851 |
| Black Wonder Claim | Manganese | Bementite, Pyrolusite | Past Producer | 47.373, -123.878 |
| Star Claim | Manganese | Bementite, Pyrolusite, Rhodochrosite | Occurrence | 47.366, -123.871 |
| Skunk Creek No. 19 | Manganese | Bementite, Pyrolusite, Rhodonite | Occurrence | 47.372, -123.878 |
| Stevens Creek No. 1 Claim | Manganese | Bementite, Rhodonite | Past Producer | 47.359, -123.877 |
| Hoquiam | Gold, Platinum | Chromite, Garnet, Gold, Magnetite, Olivine, Zircon | Occurrence | 46.971, -123.879 |
| Moclips Placer | Chromium, REE, Thorium | Chromite, Gold, Ilmenite, Monazite, Zircon | Occurrence | 47.240, -124.218 |
| Point Brown | Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Iron, Gold, Platinum | Garnet, Gold, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Olivine, Zircon | Occurrence | 46.927, -124.175 |
| Elma | Iron | Ilmenite | Past Producer | 47.013, -123.314 |
| Elma | Iron, Titanium, Metal | Ilmenite, Magnetite | Occurrence | 47.013, -123.314 |
| Supreme Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.250, -124.217 |
| Oyhut Placer | Gold | — | Occurrence | 47.021, -124.170 |
| Superior Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.250, -124.217 |
| Fishel Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.406, -123.850 |
| Fosberg Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.370, -123.601 |
| Grays Harbor Title | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.381, -123.623 |
| W. H. Hopkinson Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.386, -123.611 |
| Paramount Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.250, -124.217 |
| Polson Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.368, -123.624 |
| Ralfson Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.370, -123.601 |
| Robinson Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.395, -123.623 |
| Excelsior Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.250, -124.204 |
| A.E. Graham Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.381, -123.624 |
| Hydman Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.381, -123.623 |
| Richards Claim | Manganese | — | Occurrence | 47.371, -123.855 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 51 fossil collection records in Grays Harbor County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Mason County · Jefferson County · Clallam County · Kitsap County · Thurston 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