Fire Agates are an incredibly beautiful (and aptly named) fiery red, orange, and yellow species of agate and are highly prized by rock and mineral collectors. So where can you find agates? There are other guides out there, but this is a great one for people of all levels. 114,000 talking about this. From Highway 70 east of Safford, Arizona approximately 50 miles, travel into New Mexico to just beyond milepost 5. Plus, other rock hunters may have been to that same location at high tide so they will have missed anything that was underwater at the time. If youre searching in an area other than a beach then the agates will likely not be as shiny and easily recognizable. The state is full of biological and geological diversity. Seam agates arent found as often by collectors, since you generally have to knock apart some stone to get good samples. Through quite a bit of research and cross-referencing of available literature, I have compiled this list of some prospective locations in New Mexico which I would recommend to people looking to do some rockhounding. The True Worth of Agates. Road cuts, construction, and other areas where mountainsides, soil, and other land is cut and exposed. If you shine your flashlight on the rocks in front of you, any agates will tend to glow in the light. It most often finds itself in lighted displays or just collectible specimens which are observed on their own. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Azurite is a secondary formation, created when mineral-laden waters seep into copper ore deposits. The best places to find turquoise in New Mexico are: Los Cerrillos Mining District Burro Mountains Mining District Hachita Mining District Jarilla Mining District These mining districts each contain many mines, both active and abandoned, and care should be taken to ensure you have permission to search and collect wherever you go. Central New Mexico, Unpolished Slab. Public lands like Rockhound State Park and Jemez National Recreation Area are popular locations where rockhounding is encouraged. Fortification agates are often left in their rough form or simply tumble-polished. The area is set aside for the non-commercial collecting of agate, jasper, and petrified wood. When Suzi and I moved south in New Mexico in 2001 and had settled in to our new location in this wonderful state it came to my attention that we were in fact in fire agate country. Arizona: Source Turquoise Amethyst. Below is a list of some of many rocks, minerals and gemstones that the rockhound can find in our Southwestern New Mexico area on public lands. These mines are located on Gila National Forest and open for collecting. New Mexico. Worldwide distribution of peridot is fairly limited. amzn_assoc_title = "Some of my favorite rockhounding gear from Amazon:"; Copyright 2022 Rockhound Resource | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, extensive post about rockhounding laws and regulations for just about any type of public land, how-to guide for rock and mineral collectors. Northeast New Mexico is "where the plains meet the mountains." Visit Capuln Volcano National Monument, an extinct volcanic cone (inactive now for 10,000 years) and you can say you saw the plains of Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. We are focused on discovering 38 million year old natural treasures. The best rockhounding sites in New Mexico are in the states many National Forests and wilderness areas, including mining dumps, stream gravels, and rocky surfaces. Agate may also help with concentration and boost mental function. I am excited to share them with you. Brightly colored jasper and agate can be found on both sides of the road for almost 5 miles. A US Forest Service map or USGS map will show many locations of these old mines and can be a vital tool if you are going to look for fluorite. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. The end result is tubes and sticks that show up in the agate, both on the surface and after theyve been cut. Situated just 30 miles east of the New Mexico-Arizona border, Casitas de Gila Guesthouses is located in the heart of this rockhounding paradise. Fortification agates are fairly common and they make up the collections of many collectors. Iris agate is sometimes used in jewelry but only displays well in earrings due to the nature of the optical qualities. Azurite is reactive and a little bit unstable, at least compared to most collectible minerals. There are many types of agates and some can only be found in specific locations while others are found across numerous continents. I enjoy collecting and tumbling rocks with my daughter and traveling the world with my wife seeing geologic wonders. Old mines exist all over the hills just west of Shakespeare. They differ from Herkimer Diamonds in their color. Other Fee Dig sights to check out include: http://epswww.unm.edu/harding/harding_.htm, and www.peaktopeak.com/blanchard/. Always respect private property! Agate new mexico. Youll have better luck if you do your research beforehand. It remains just as hard as the rest, but working your way carefully down to the formation is required to preserve the form and color play of the stone. The water will remove any dust from the surface of the rocks and help the colors pop. Believe it or not, you can sometimes find agates in gravelly areas like gravel roads, gravel pits, landscaping rock, and construction sites. Well ignore trade names for the time being so that we can focus on the good stuff: the actual differences between types of agate. Guadalupe Canyon Agate, Arizona, no description, Getsinger (1961, p. 316), probably for Guadalupe Canyon that extends from 31o 20' 35" N to 31o 27' 56" N and 109o 02' 29" W and 109o 03' 46" W, Cochise County, Arizona, and Hidalgo County, New Mexico, Guadalupe Canyon and Guadalupe Springs Maps, U.S. Geological Survey 7.5' x 7.5'. Gem-quality fluorite is produced from deposits in Bernalillo, Catron, Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Luna, Rio Arriba, Socorro, Sierra, and Taos Counties. Beaches are the best places to look for agates. Azurite is best known for its namesake deep blue azure color, which seems to reflect the deep blue dusk hour skies of the desert southwest. It is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. I decided to write this post to help anyone hoping to find their own agates. While all share some of the same characteristics, each also provides their own impressive visuals. All 50 States Answered, New Mexico Department of Wildlifes public land maps, New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources Rockhound Guide, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Opalized wood, Agatized wood, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Petrified wood, Apatite (blue), Bityite, Eurcyptite, Lepidolite (purple), Muscovite (rose), Quartz crystals, Spodumene, Tourmaline (green), Calcite crystals, Limonite crystals, Geodes, Dumortierite, Specularite, Chert (gem-quality), Agate, Azurite, Chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Chart, Garnet, Jasper, Quartzite, Petrified wood, Agatized dinosaur bones, Carbonized wood, Silicified mudballs, Agate, Chalcedony, Petrified wood, Turquoise, Agate (red, banded), Apache tears, Agatized wood, Obsidian, Searlesite, Villiaumite (fluorescent), other rare minerals, Actinolite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Mica, Bornite, Pyrite, Tourmaline, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Quartz crystals, Brochantite, Cerargyrite, Cerussite, Chalcopyrite, Molybdenite, Chrysocolla, Onyx, Rock crystal, Azurite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Ceragyrite, Chrysocolla, Fluorite, Galena, Malachite, Pyrite, Onyx, Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Chrysocolla, Jasper, Fluorite, Rock crystal, Argentite, Cerussite, Cuprite, Sphalerite, Calcite, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Turquoise, Albite, Amethyst, Biotite, Sanidine, Sphene, Argentite, Pyrargyrite, Silver (native), Sphalerite, Dumortierite, Hydrozincite, Pyrolusite, Quartz crystals, Smithsonite, Willemite, Agate (high quality, seam agate, sagenitic), Agate (sagenitic), Chalcedony (blue), Jasper, Agate, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Jasper, Fluorite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Galena, Gypsum, Jarosite, Limonite, Malachite, Turquoise, Agate, Opalized wood, Silicified wood, Petrified Palm, Azurite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Fluorite, Malachite, Quartz crystals(double terminated), Quartz clusters, Agate, Chalcedony, Elixirite, Jasper, Petrified Wood, Chrysocolla, Chalcocite, Atacamite, Azurite, Barite, Celestite, Cerussite, Dolomite crystals, Galena, Limonite, Malachite, Quartz crystals, Smithsonite (blue-green), Zinc minerals, Fossils, Agatized picture wood, Petrified cycad, Petrified Palm, Quartz cystals (clear, rose, red, smoky), Pecos diamonds. Waterline agate consists of different layers of colored chalcedony, often contained within a nodule of less well-formed agate. Not all gravelly areas will contain agates, so if you are checking out a location but you havent found anything within 10 or 15 minutes then youre probably going to be out of luck. Its not likely to be easy to find and collect a large quantity of gem-quality turquoise yourself, but there are certainly many locations where you can go with the hopes of finding your own turquoise specimens. Try to find areas that have had recent digging activity if you are not quite sure where to start. Still visible are the deep wagon-wheel ruts left by those frontiering souls traveling the 175-mile Santa Fe Trail . The best rockhounding sites in Southeastern New Mexico are along the Pecos River, especially the areas near Roswell, Artesia, and south of Fort Sumner along US 60. These semiprecious stones are highly desirable for their unique ring patterns and their variety of colors. From Google Earth, the crater is even visible from high in the sky. As with the rest of the state, Northwestern New Mexico contains a wealth of rockhounding sites with a wide variety of rocks and minerals. The locality of a stone is often included in the name and small differences in appearance. I hope my articles will be useful to you. In Mexico, you can find both fire agates and Laguna agates. If youre looking for a decent guide to New Mexicos minerals, you can check out Rockhounding New Mexico: A Guide To 140 Of The States Best Rockhounding Sites. Some people describe it as looking like a potato skin generally fairly round and smooth, but with some rough spots and pits on the surface. Expect detailed site information including the following. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; Areas that the Willamette River and its tributaries run through, Oregons forests, desert areas, and the coastline house numerous types of agates, thundereggs, jaspers, petrified wood, fossils, obsidian, and more. Your best bet will probably be to check around with local rockhounding groups or rock shops. Flickr/Nicolas Pea. But since theyre so widespread, you need to know exactly where theyre found in each country and state to save yourself a lot of time and effort. Rockhound State Park is in southwestern New Mexico near the town of Deming. Weve got you covered right here. Turquoise is one of the first things that most people think of when it comes to New Mexico. At most of these locations, youll have the most success hunting in the winter or early spring when storms are larger and more frequent. This is the place to go for the famous Pecos diamonds, which are actually very attractive double-terminated quartz crystals. For ease of reference, Ill break up the state into the four regions shown on the map below. Theres definitely enough for collectors hiding in the hills and creek beds of New Mexico, theres just no large centralized location like the Petrified Forest of Arizona. HowtoFindRocks.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. New Mexico: The thundereggs of the Bear Mountain are known for many decades and widely visited by local rock clubs, but they still can be found even today despite the complains by local rockhounds about not finding anything except small ones. The best places to collect rocks in Arizona include the areas around Phoenix and Tucson, as well as smaller towns such as Cave Creek, Clifton, Morristown, and Kingman. Moss agate is relatively popular and easy to find in raw, tumbled, or cut forms online. An individual specimen may be a bit off due to the way its been cut. Specimens may become depleted from other collectors, the location may have been built on or altered, locality information in literature may be inaccurate, and property ownership may have changed hands. Simple Explanation. Rockhound State Park - Deming, NM A guide to New Mexico rockhounding is hardly complete without mentioning the eponymous state park of the hobby. This site is devoted to sharing my love of rocks with you. Find frequently asked questions in the section below: Agates are generally not expensive rocks on their own (in terms of material) but some types are rarer than others, harder to find, or more difficult to extract (labor costs) making them a bit more expensive than the others. Agates can be found on the beaches of oceans and lakes, along road cuts, and in areas with exposed gravel. The redness comes from iron which leeches into this agate from other rocks and oxidizes. Since agate is made up primarily of chalcedony (a form of microcrystalline quartz) it is very hard and resistant to weathering. On occasion, you can even find them with quartz crystal growth in the center, creating a transparent layer in the center of the amazing colors. Petrified Wood. Find out the main differences between real and fake agate in the article below: amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; For additional reading, Id highly recommend these books you can find on Amazon: Please remember that rock collecting locations are constantly changing. However, since then Arizona and Nevada has surpassed it in terms of both annual and total production. In New Mexico turquoise and ochre was mined near Santa Fe in pre-Columbian times. Plume, 8.3 cm . Lake Superior agates often have a reddish hue which is a result of iron oxide staining. The most famous of these is turquoise, which as the states gemstone has become nearly synonymous with the American Southwest. The mechanism is simple diffraction rather than a schiller effect or iridescence like that seen in opals. Make sure you take some serious precautions, abandoned mines are dangerous. Eye agate has orb-shaped inclusions that often end up being cut and resembling an eye. However, I have compiled a list of resources here so that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found here or elsewhere) for yourself. It is a lapidary favorite because of its . Steins, NM 88045, USA. Links to New Mexico fire agate stories NM FIRE AGATE STORY NM FIRE AGATE STORY # 2. Agate is a strange word, used in a wide variety of ways. As such, no matter which direction one takes from the Casitas on a single day's outing, there are excellent collecting sites to be discovered. Mexican agate colors range from bright reds, blues, purples and yellows to pastel grays. You can find them in Mexico and the southwestern United States, specifically in California, New Mexico, and particularly Arizona. Other great rockhounding sites in the area include Pedernal Park, Abiquiu Lake, and localities in Carson National Forest. Its one of the most expensive agates in the world, especially high-grade finished pieces meant for jewelry. 7 Ways to Turn Your Rocks and Minerals Into Jewelry, Ultimate Guide To Moqui Marbles (What They Are and Much More), A Guide to Yooperlite Rocks (What They Are and Where to Find Them), Barite: Ultimate Guide To Collecting Barite (What It Is and Where To Find It), Magnetite: Ultimate Guide to Magnetite (What It Is and Where to Find It), A Turquoise Standoff: The Story of a Woman Standing Her Ground in Nevadas Mining World. Note that this list and the specific locations I mention are far from exhaustive. Exceptional Fossil Reveals Fish-Eating-Fish Moment Frozen in Time, The Great Meteorite Hunt: Museum Offers $25,000 Reward for Rare Fireball Remains in Maine, Why Petrified Logs Look Like Theyve Been Cut (The How and The Why), Detailed maps and directions to sites including GPS points, Contact information for local land management agencies, Suggestions for tools and techniques by site. The best time to search for agates (especially in a beach setting) is right after a storm. There are certain types of areas that you can search and many useful techniques that will increase your chances of finding agates. In other areas of Arizona peridot, amethyst, jade, opal, petrified wood, and turquoise have been found. Some agates that were found in this area display different colors depending on which side the rock is illuminated from. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This interest of mine has lasted until today, so I decided to create this website. It has a blue/blue-grey color and is often used in jewelry. More Info about our Privacy Policy (GDPR-EU), Metaphysical Defintion and Healing Crystals, State Gemstones, Rocks, Fossils and Minerals, Sonora Sunset, Sonora Sunrise, or Chrysocolla Cuprite, Imperial Jasper and Royal Imperial Jasper, Silver Sheen Obsidian or Gold Sheen Obsidian, Quartz, Rose Quartz, Aventurine, Citrine, Smoky Quartz, Amethyst, http://epswww.unm.edu/harding/harding_.htm, All About Macrocrystalline Quartz-Part 3 Quartz Crystal Formations, All About Macrocrystalline Quartz-Part 2 Inclusions, Sheen, Phenomena, All About Macrocrystalline Quartz-Part 1 The Basics. My best finds yet! Flashlights can also be really helpful when searching in the early morning or at dusk. Mexican Agates. One of the best things you can do before looking for agates is to check the weather. Petaca, mine dump 1 mi. The term fluorescence, was derived from this gemstone. amzn_assoc_linkid = "449ea551b1326ba1099098f322f2d915"; Waterline agate tends to not have vivid colors. If you dont live near any of those areas that doesnt necessarily mean that you wont be able to find agates. amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IEX2TEO,B0002YWWVE,B08N41884X,B01CV1XW5K"; Important Disclaimer: I have not been to these locations myself, and I do not know if they are currently open for collecting. Agates can sometimes be found in gravel pits and on dirt roads. The oxidization level and iron concentration are the two main factors that decide the colors of the bands and their intensity. Another famous agate thats found in Montana is the Dryhead Agate, which is most often found in the form of nodules that feature red, orange, white, and brown fortification banding surrounded by darker colors. The chance to find peridot is a unique opportunity only found in this area of the state. NOTE: All the locations listed in these tables are clickable, and will take you to the location on Google Maps. The best are often split into display specimens, and theyre often more valuable that way instead of continuing to process the stone into cabochons. 5. TIP: Agate can be found almost anywhere on Earth, but is it a valuable rock? Theyre a common find and a prize for collectors, and some of them are world-class. (1.6k) RockSeeker.com is reader-supported. Fluorite, calcite, galena, smoky quartz, and barite are found in this mine suited for rockhounds of all experience levels. Hello, I am John.As a little boy, I was fascinated by stones and liked to take them home. Organ, NM, USA. Use this resource as a guide to get you started. The end result is usually a limb-cast, where the exterior of the stone looks much like the wood it replaces. Looking for agates is usually a pretty straightforward process once youve found the right place and you know what to look for, but there are definitely some tools you can bring along that will improve both your quality of life and your likelihood of finding agates. Other people like to bring a 5-gallon bucket along with them which works just fine, although I find that to be a lot more cumbersome and uncomfortable. They are also some of the most highly sought after rocks for rock tumbling hobbyists (myself included) because of how amazing they look once polished. Invertebrate fossils, on the other hand, are legal to keep in New Mexico. It can be found by driving northbound on Interstate 25 just before . The area near the south-eastern border between Arizona and Mexico actually houses a myriad of rocks other than agates, including obsidian, carnelian, thundereggs, jaspers, azurite, rhyolite, malachite, and chrysocolla. Most of the worlds agates come from Brazil and Uruguay so these two countries have to be on this list. To name a few, let's start with regular agate specimens, which you can find in the south side of Abiquiu Lake, Sante Fe National Forest, or the Mexican Gulch area. Eye Agate I'm still new to rockhounding, so be kind,. Some of the links on our website are affiliate links. While some parts are friendly to the beginner,, there are more remote sites that offer more plentiful collection opportunities. There are lots of great places to rockhound in New Mexico and a rich variety of rocks and minerals can be found. Their translucence tends to catch the light and almost make them appear to glow, especially when compared to the more ordinary rocks around them.