RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Commonwealth Group
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 1 gem or collectible mineral (Quartz) and 2 of our card minerals overall. That ties with 3 other site(s), so we broke the tie by mine status (past producers first), then USGS record quality, then name. USGS lists it as past producer for Iron. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Magnetite. Approx. location 45.898, -88.230. 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.
Status not recorded.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
4 sites
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
4 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
2 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
2 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Goethite 4Hematite 4Magnetite 4Argentite 1Chalcocite 1Pyrite 1Molybdenite 1Chalcopyrite 1Pyrrhotite 1Commodities
Iron 5Copper 2Molybdenum 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasalle Falls | Copper, Iron | Argentite, Chalcocite, Pyrite | Unknown | 45.828, -88.268 |
| Fence Prospect | Copper | Chalcopyrite, Pyrrhotite | Unknown | 45.760, -88.570 |
| Commonwealth Group | Iron | Goethite, Hematite, Magnetite | Past Producer | 45.898, -88.230 |
| Ernst Mine | Iron | Goethite, Hematite, Magnetite | Past Producer | 45.909, -88.238 |
| Florence Mine | Iron | Goethite, Hematite, Magnetite | Past Producer | 45.926, -88.263 |
| Larson Exploration Prospect | Iron | Goethite, Hematite, Magnetite | Occurrence | 45.907, -88.341 |
| Payant-Chrissman | Molybdenum | Molybdenite | Occurrence | 45.733, -88.133 |
| Larson Exploration | — | — | Prospect | 45.907, -88.341 |
| Ernst Mine | — | — | Past Producer | 45.909, -88.238 |
| Florence Mine | — | — | Past Producer | 45.926, -88.263 |
| Commonwealth Group | — | — | Past Producer | 45.898, -88.230 |
Nearby counties
Marinette County · Forest County · Vilas County · Oneida County · Door County
Wisconsin mineral guides
- Quartz in Wisconsin
- Gold in Wisconsin
- Magnetite in Wisconsin
- Pyrite in Wisconsin
- Galena in Wisconsin
- Copper in Wisconsin
Back to all Wisconsin 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