Apatite Tourmaline and Beryl - (1 upload(s), 1 collector specimens from same city, 1 collector specimens from nearby locations) Bethel Songo Pond Mine - (1 collector specimens) Eastport ,Maine loring cove Poland Poland Mining Camps - Maine - (1 collector specimens from same city, 1 collector specimens from nearby locations) Small Point Hermit Island Almandine Garnet The lower shallower water has an incredible number of frogs/tadpoles. Please read and comply with the conditions stated on the permit. DACF Home Bureaus & Programs Maine Geological Survey Explore Maine Geology Mineral Collecting in Maine Mineral Collecting in Maine. The gymnasium is full of specimens dealers have for sale and displays to enjoy. At the junction with Horseshoe Pond Road (right) continue straight on the Mine Road approximately 0.5 mi. Vintage Fire Truck Sightseeing Tour of Portland Maine 317 Recommended Classic Car Tours from $38.00 per adult Luxury Catamaran Sailing Charters in Maine 36 Recommended Sailing from $135.00 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Downtown Portland, Maine City and Lighthouse Tour-2.5 hour Land Tour 306 Recommended Bus Tours from $62.00 per adult I will have more information on how to check property ownership status later in this article. These mineral collecting areas are relatively easy to access and offer a wide variety of rocks and minerals including albite, tourmaline, amethyst, feldspar, and quartz. Keep a close eye, there is unsure footing and loose gravel. The walk is uphill and has stray rocks in the path so be careful if walking is difficult for you. Starting in the mid-1800s and extending into the 20th century, quarries were opened to mine pegmatite veins in Oxford, Androscoggin and Sagadahoc counties in southwestern Maine. The best rockhounding sites are usually at places that are currently being mined or have in the past but only a select number of locations are open to the public for free. Some owners of mines and quarries will allow clubs to rockhound on parts of their property chiefly their dump piles for a fee, but they wont allow individuals to do the same. The youth program includes separate age-appropriate meetings during their regularly scheduled club meetings, kids activities, and field trips. I describe pegmatites rather unscientifically as a through-the-looking-glass geological environment where common minerals can form perfect or giant crystals, and where minerals unknown in other geological settings have developed. 12006 Nottingham Dr, Pasco, WA 99301. Campton NH 03223, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recarea/?recid=79453, White Mountain Recreation Fee Program Accomplishments. There are occasional outings restricted to club members only where federations or clubs set up special trips to quarries where the quarry owners set off blasts or turn over the dups using an excavator to unearth new materials. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Arsenopyrite, Beryl, Mica, Calcite, Cookeite, Fluorapatite (purple, blue), Lepidolite, Quartz, Schorl, Spodumene, Topaz, Zircon, etc. I started showing up at camp, as the regulars know Poland Mining Camps, 20 years ago as a rookie mineral collector who didnt know a garnet from a gahnite or an elbaite from an albite. Topaz. Maine is one of New England's most popular rock-hounding locations. Tip: Check out my Complete Rockhounding Guide for tips on planning your rockhounding trip and getting the most out of your time in the field! 3 0 obj At 0.3 mi., just before the gravel road ends, the trail turns right. Fax: (207) 287-2400 This site is devoted to sharing my love of rocks with you. Some of the best areas to go rockhounding in Maine include the old mines and quarries in the southwestern region of the state and the beaches along the Atlantic coast. How much will you find? Fortunately, many of these old quarries are open to the public (to some degree or another) for collecting. The most commonly found and collected rocks and minerals in Maine are: If youve already found a rock and youre not sure what it is, I would highly recommend checking out my Practical Rock Identification System. Traveling as a group helps encourage safe practices out in the field. Other excellent places to check are the Mount Apatite Quarries, along with Harvard, Waisanen, and Tamminen quarries. To get started, you can check out my recommended gear page which contains my full reviews for every Geologists favorite rock hammer and the best hiking backpack Ive ever owned. Long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and gloves will help protect you from being scraped by sharp rocks while also preventing sunburn and bug bites. If youre lucky enough to be in Maine with the intention of doing some rockhounding, Im jealous! Sunscreen is essential even in the outdoors. What a little gem in Auburn, nice little hike to do with kids. The clubs monthly meetings are held on the third Friday of every month, and visitors are not only welcome but encouraged to stop in. Ancient volcanic and metamorphic rocks have been worn down by recent glaciation and subsequent weathering from rivers and streams have exposed interesting gemstones and minerals for us to find. If youre rockhounding in the quarry wall, you can uncover gem pockets. With its rustic guest cabins and large dining hall that doubles as a museum of local minerals, Poland Mining Camps is the closest thing Ive found to a place that reproduces the three happy summers I spent at camp as a youngster. The club also wants to maintain the common interest through social meetings and open discussions. Also saw a few ground critters and several species of birds including a woodpecker. Great Family Day Hike, GREAT "FREE" family fun. and park BEFORE the gate, take a hike up through some amazing trees and into an unused mine. Zircon, golden beryl, garnet, autunite, and aquamarine are several other potential finds for rockhounds to unearth. Hundreds of people explore the state each year in search of crystals, semiprecious gems, gold, and other minerals. The Kennebec Rocks and Mineral Club is dedicated to rockhounding recreation in its many forms and phases. of Rtes. The Deer Hill amethyst locality is a pegmatite of granitic composition. But one great thing about rockhounding or field collecting is that it doesnt take a lot of money to start. Year after year, the specimen seekers show up on schedule toting shovels, screens, or sledgehammers and sharing stories of fabulous finds or strenuous searches of past years. This way, you dont have to conduct your own research or invest in any equipment. The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information for every location on this page. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. Some rockhounds aim to find valuable gems such as watermelon tourmaline, while others enjoy finding as many different types of minerals as possible. Maine is home to quite a wide variety of rocks and minerals and, as a result, there there is almost no limit to the number of interesting material rockhounds can find here. To get to this area you park near a military installation which is a bit unusual. You never know what youre going to find. Rockhounds can find feldspar, tourmaline, garnet, quartz, topaz, jasper, rubies, pearls, gold, opal, aquamarine, and many other high-quality pieces. For instance, one could head to the Singepole Mountain Quarry from Paris. A few basic tools are helpful in collecting minerals. Follow Deer Hill Road 2.2 miles to the Deer Hill Mineral Site trailhead. Because often times they are waterproof, and have zippers. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. The Oxford County Mineral and Gem Association (OCMGA) was organized in March of 1948. ( July 17, 2017. If youre not interested in those minerals, no worries. This isa small parking area at a curve in the road. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IEX2TEO,B0002YWWVE,B08N41884X,B00A4H4ZQ4"; stream 96% of travelers recommend this experience. Gloves and safety glasses are recommended, along with chisels, small shovels, and any additional tools that may come in handy. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Its a greenish blue crystal. Molybdenite (plates), Granite, Quartz crystals, Biotite, Fluorapatite, Hornblende, Magnetite, Microcline, Pyrite, Scheelite, Stilbite, etc. You just basically find a spot and start looking for rocks. Whether youre interested in mining or detecting, theres something for everyone. The Lord Hill mine is an open depression in the top of the hill. I would love to come back when I have more time to look for rocks and bring plenty of bug spray. You will see lots of shallow holes that mineral collectors have dug in the rock piles. Please read and comply with the conditions stated on the permit. Heres hoping you have fun and find something nice. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_title = "Here is some of my favorite rockhounding gear from Amazon"; This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Doing so can put you in touch with others who may have lesser-known locations to check out. Bureaus & Programs Maine Geological Survey Explore Maine Geology Mineral Collecting in Maine. 2 0 obj The Lubec Lead Mine, near Lubec, Maine, is an excellent rockhound location for explorers to score decent specimens. Topaz is a brilliant gemstone, and one that's often overlooked. The little town of Paris, in Oxford County, Maine, is an excellent intersection between a few different rockhounding sites. The trail is a gradual uphill climb to the intersection with the Conant Trail. TTY: Maine Relay 711 Please note that I have not been to these locations. For collectors who want to go home with a prepared souvenir, Creaser Jewelers in South Paris, Maine, is a must-stop destination of the Maine mining scene, specializing in jewelry made from locally mined gems. Mosquito coils last for hours and will burn away into ash. Rockhounds can also find green and golden beryl minerals. Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. But, it's a super fun way to explore. Many localities are closed from time to time when they are being mined for specimens. would you know where I could find info on hunting up on the mountain? ) or https:// means you've safely From the trailhead, follow the yellow blazed hiking trail 0.1 miles to a fork in the trail. With some luck, you might harvest some high-quality specimens, including zircon, beryl, columbite, mica, aquamarine, quartz, albite, and garnets, among other samples. I've read a lot here on trip advisor about good beaches for beach glass collecting, but I don't know if those same beaches will have pretty rocks! The trails were nice and wide and easy to walk on. The most commonly found and collected rocks and minerals in New Hampshire are: Amethyst Quartz Apatite Gold Staurolite Topaz Fluorite Tourmaline Jasper Garnet Amethyst If you've already found a rock and you're not sure what it is, I would highly recommend checking out my Practical Rock Identification System. I collect just about anything that has color and a crystal shape to it, said Laurier Larry Turcotte, assistant treasurer for membership of the Maine Mineralogical and Geological Society. I really recommend sluices for those who have young kids, said Maggie Kroenke, store manager at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel. Gradual uphill grad , easy to negotiate, wide path. If interested in rockhounding as a one-time activity, you could hire a local guide company such as Dig Maine Gems out of West Paris, Maine. to the trailhead. Knoxville Gem & Mineral Society 2021 Show! NOT Fancy, No Bathrooms or facility's and make sure you brink drinking water. I would probably start by doing a property records search and getting whatever contact information you can for the landowner. There is a program every month consisting of a speaker that teaches members about the different characteristics of minerals and gems. Through quite a bit of research and cross-referencing of available literature, I have compiled this list of some prospective locations in Maine which I would recommend to people looking to do some rockhounding.
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