#collecting in VA?
6 messages in this thread
Hello all, I'm trying to find rockhounding locations in central and northern
virginia. Any ideas? I've heard of some mines in Spotsylvania county and a
quarry in Culpeper county but unfortunately don't have any details on the
locations. I'm trying to rekindle the collecting (and observing) bug I picked
up while in school in NM.
Michael Brock
Hi, Michael–
Welcome to the forum!
I am focused on fluorescent minerals, so that is what my sites index has (it is
in ROCKDB.ARC in the library). A dump of VA entries follows.
Happy hunting!
–Doug
Fluorite SW fluor: green LW fluor: dim green State: VA City:
Amelia Court House County: Mine:
Albite SW fluor: LW fluor: white, white-yellow-brown State: VA City:
Amelia Courthouse County: Mine:
Laumontite/Leonhardite SW fluor: weak-white LW fluor: weak-white State: VA
City: Leesburg County: Mine:
Sphalerite SW fluor: LW fluor: bright reddish-orange State: VA City:
Pulaski City County: Mine:
Microcline SW fluor: dim gray-green LW fluor: dim green State: VA City:
County: Mine:
thankyou, and thankyou.
Michael Brock
Michael,
I haven't collected much in Virginia, but one of the first places I collected
as an adult was in Amelia, Virginia. It's about an hour and half drive from
Richmond, as I recall. There is a fee collecting pegmatite site just outside
Amelia, which was written up in a recent Rocks and Minerals magazine issue.
This locality is known for its amazonite, as well as its topaz. MY older son
found a nice, euhedral topaz crystal about 2cm long and 1cm wide. It wouldn't
make it to the Smithsonian, but he's still proud of it 6 years later.
I have always wanted to collect in the Northern Virginia trap rock quarries
for goosecreekite and other zeolites, but have never had the chance. If you
get good directions to any, let me know! Thanks.
Nathan A.Schachtman
Nathan, Thank you for the inforation. As I find out more I'll let you know. I
had heard Amelia county had some good collection sites but I'm a little
hesitant to drive down there without knowing a sure location. I'll try and find
out more about the pegmatite site. Maybe I can call the local chamber of
commerce <g>.
Michael Brock
Michael,
The article of which I spoke, which was by Lance Kearns in the magazine Rocks
and Minerals, had the telephone number of the Morehead Mine. It probably also
gave directions to this fee collecting site. I am looking forward again to
getting down to that corner of Virginia myself some day.
Nathan