stream Over 50 different minerals have been found at Lord Hill. Whether youre interested in mining or detecting, theres something for everyone. <>>> There is a program every month consisting of a speaker that teaches members about the different characteristics of minerals and gems. TTY: Maine Relay 711 Historic Mining Records (USGS) Oxford has 146 identified mines listed in The Diggings. Lots of mica and different kinds of rock, haven't found any tourmaline yet but I often see people up there with mining gear finding things. This rockhounding society hosts an annual show at the Augusta Armory every Labor Day weekend. The photos were collected between 1940 and 1996 at scales from 1:6,000 to 1:80,000 and are available for use at the Maine Geological Survey during office hours. Why? The term pegmatite simply means the individual mineral grains are relatively large; upwards of 3-5 cm.,where asin granite the average individual grain size is much smaller. Gold, Garnet, Magnetite, Scheelite, Staurolite, Albite, Garnet (almandine), Beryl, Mica, Chrysoberyl, Fluorapatite, Feldspar, Quartz (milky, smoky), Schrol, Garnet (almandine), Chrysoberyl, Fluorapatite, Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Schorl, Amethyst, Feldspar, Beryl, Garnet, Columbite, Pyrite, Muscovite. 113 in Stow, Maine turn right onto Deer Hill Rd (FR9). I really recommend sluices for those who have young kids, said Maggie Kroenke, store manager at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel. It is accessible from either the north or south by hiking trails. As well as to the guidance and education of their members and the public who wish to pursue hounding. I enjoy collecting and tumbling rocks with my daughter and traveling the world with my wife seeing geologic wonders. We had an awesome time hiking around the park at Mt. Pegmatite veins are abundant in parts of Oxford, Androscoggin, and Sagadahoc Counties. 68.32 acres lot. This is because clubs have insurance for the activity, and club leaders have formed trusting relationships with the mine owners that ensure their groups will follow rules. 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. Bring newspaper or baggies for specimens collected, and a field guide for rocks and minerals. Additionally, filming your finds can be a great way to record you adventure. A member of the Maine Mineralogical and Geological Society holds up a piece of blue-green tourmaline found while on a field trip at Havey Quarry in Poland, Maine. Youre usually under cover if its a hot day, splashing in the water. and is literally illegal along some parts of the Maine coast. Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry Some examples of metamorphic rocks are slate, marble, quartzite and granite (Shuttlesworth, 1963). Lord Hill is located in Stoneham, Maine. Several of the miners often join the mining-camp crowd for supper and may show their latest discoveries. more. You get out in the fresh air, he said, and theres something about digging in the dirt that just makes you happy., Aislinn Sarnacki is a Maine outdoors writer and the author of three Maine hiking guidebooks including Family Friendly Hikes in Maine. Find her on Twitter and Facebook @1minhikegirl. Bear right for 0.4 miles to permit area 1, bear left for 0.4 miles to permit area 2. <> amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; They have access to many mines there such as Mt. This hobby is especially popular in western Maine, where some of the states most celebrated gemstones can be found. 4 0 obj Even if you are on land that is generally open for public use there may be privately owned mining claims inside those boundaries and youll need to get permission to collect on that location. amzn_assoc_linkid = "aac5e87b1ca95eb9841c18e11fbbd48f"; All rights reserved. 2023 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Baker to speak at Beech Bash in the Bluegrass. The museum also offers information about rockhounding in the area, including directions to rockhounding sites that are open to the general public. I think my best find was a 15-pound quartz crystal from the Bennett Quarry in Buckfield.. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the most important minerals and gems in Maine are tourmalines, beryl, and quartz. Share sensitive information only Initially, the goal was to mine feldspar and sheet mica, which were both used to create a variety of products. She arises early, rides down to the dining hall in a golf cart, puts the coffee pot on, and makes everyones breakfast to order. This story was originally published in April 2021. Driving: From jct. Meteorites in Maine: Is the sky falling??? 2. endobj You never know what youre going to find. This is a great resource for anyone who loves rockhounding, from beginners to experts alike! Lots of different trails. and park BEFORE the gate, take a hike up through some amazing trees and into an unused mine. The novice is practically assured of finding something of interest at Maine's collecting sites, while a large assortment of rare minerals await the advanced collector. 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 Use this resource as a guide to get you started. Maine is one of New Englands most popular rock-hounding locations. The trails, once there, are clearly marked. The Bibliography is part of the. Some of the famous specimens rockhounds commonly find are flint, granite, agates, geodes, bloodstones, slate, graphite, schist, greenstone, quartz, monzonite, limestone, hornfels, and marble. I tend to get a little lost in my rock stories, so lets refocus on the question you probably need answered: How does a general aviation pilot get to Maine pegmatite country? The largest is the Maine Mineralogical and Geological Society, which currently has nearly 500 members. ) or https:// means you've safely Lord Hill is a granite pegmatite that was mined commercially for feldspar at one time. I would love to come back when I have more time to look for rocks and bring plenty of bug spray. Rockhounding also known as field collecting or recreational mining is an outdoor activity in which everyday people search for valuable gems, fossils and other mineral treasures buried in the earth. Permits can be obtained at the mineral collecting site. Specimens of tourmaline (left and top right), eosphorite (center right) and gahnite (bottom right) found in some of Maines world-famous mining sites. Rockhound societies are an excellent way to learn more about rocks, minerals, gemstones, and fossils. endobj ( Directions: Driving Directions can be found at this webpage: http://polandminingcamps.com/contact.html From the South Interstate 95 North, past Portland. Do not use carpenter hammers, Hoffelder said. Nka Blue Grade Rd, East Wenatchee, WA 98802. Jasper Beach: A trip to collect rocks and see Jasper Beach in Machias Maine. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Shed be the first one to tell that shes not much of a computer userif she even has one in the house these days. Start your free trial today! The team has been learning everything there is to know about how to identify the best locations to prospect for gold throughout Maine for close to a half a century. From the open ledge behind the upper quarry, a blazed trail goes north-east a short distance to a scenic overlook of Horseshoe Pond and surrounding mountains. Get extra lift from AOPA. Each year when summer arrives in Maine, enthusiastic parties of rock hunters head into the field to search for gemstones and other geological rarities in the states world-famous mineral collecting localities. If done with care, rockhounding can be a great family activity. Albite, Garnet (almandine), Autunite, Beryl (green, yellow), Mica, Columbite, Fluorapatite, Quartz (milky, rose, smoky), Schorl, etc. While the classic association is with a golden-brown gemstone, modern methods have made blue the "default" color. 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. Campton NH 03223, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recarea/?recid=79453, White Mountain Recreation Fee Program Accomplishments. That said before you head out exploring, you should check this list to ensure youre not wasting your precious time. Map Information, Lord Hill is a pegmatite that is not very different from the Deer Hill pegmatite, except for a chemical composition that contains many more rare elements which lead to forming rare minerals. Safety glasses or face shields can protect your face from shards of rock that can fly off when youre hammering. Can you recommend the best beaches or places for rock collecting? \1X*eJ9FarKD-uA .:P|q3=dF" `. )$k6)F$i0 6Y/kt*#}PH@X'}? b\Yl6q United States. We hope you enjoy your time on our site and come back often because were always adding new dig locations and crystal collecting updates. Volume 2: Mining History, Gems, and Geology, Gemstones -- An Overview of Production of Specific U.S. Gemstones, Prospecting for Gold in the United States. The higher deeper water area has a lot of fish, think they are bull heads. They can also be an incredible way to meet other rockhounds all around the planet. My interest grewspurred on by some beginners luck in the rock pilesand I benefited from living near enough to camp to make frequent visits. 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. Maine news, sports, politics, election results, and obituaries. 18 Elkins Lane It is highly advised to put these items in protective zip lock bags to PROTECT from dirt and mud. Photos by Dan Namowitz. The club has two field trips a month, where they visit different localities. The Bibliography is part of the Maps and Publications Search. The hike was nice although the trails were not particularly well marked. The purpose of the club or association is to bring people together that share interests in geology and mineralogy in hopes that through the exchange of info and various specimens, everyone involved can benefit in some way. Loring Cove in Perry is another prime location, with the potential to find agates, calcite, malachite, analcime, prehnite, amethyst, bloodstone, chalcedony, and various quartz specimens. Bean in Freeport are within convenient travel distance from the mining district. The clubs monthly meetings are held on the third Friday of every month, and visitors are not only welcome but encouraged to stop in. OCMGA holds a gem show during the second week of July at the Telstar High School gym. A disclosure: On some outings to the pegmatite quarries, the driver of the caravans lead vehicle is me. Maine is, without a doubt, the best state in New England for rock and mineral collectors thanks to the widespread, high-quality pegmatites that make up a large portion of the surface geology. The book Rockhounding in New England: A Guide to 100 of the Regions Best Rockhounding Sites by Peter Cristofono is a great resource, with the most recent edition released in 2020. You can wash them off too. Single club memberships are only $15 a year, and the price for families is only $20. Other outdoor recreational opportunities abound in the area including camping, hiking, and biking. Permits can be obtained at the trailhead. Places like Target, Marshalls, K-Mart, or Sears will carry inexpensive options. 117 and 118 in Norway, go west on Rte. Go to a rock show or visit a major natural history museum anywhere, and you are likely to encounter specimens from the Maine pegs. Or you could get yourself to Maine and start a collection of your own. Local folklore rocks (sorry) with stories about the mines and some of the larger-than-life mining personalities who are actually very down-to-earth people up close, like Maine mining legend Frank Perham. )'u\d3Q;^{w/^+/{W?z?\>'yLx!OxyQadeY\b/. o/^e*{'BAQynb97T )OQO/HlG+ 2f6;?_Suj yy-~pi:-%GG4# # K\wZ"RYe"E2oh@Q4s~L^J"_+Di3sLHE[Wk9LYVuF-v*lP{R4 k2#cV`oEgUt|{5f}R`al#v5ZqbE website belongs to an official government organization in the That is a short version of a longer list. to the trailhead. A few prime examples of rockhounding locations include the Pingree Ledge Quarry, Lord Hill, Deer Hill, and Mount Apatite. Many localities are closed from time to time when they are being mined for specimens. This is particularly true of coarse-grained metamorphic rocks produced by the deep burial and recrystallization of ancient marine sediments. Hundreds of people explore the state each year in search of crystals, semiprecious gems, gold, and other minerals. Albite, Beryl, Tourmaline (green elbaite), Fluorapatite (blue, purple), Feldspar, Mica, Quartz, Garnet (spessartine), Sphalerite, Spodumene (crystals), etc. The love for rocks, minerals, fossils, and precious stones has made rockhounding a popular hobby in New England. Its a greenish blue crystal. to the mine. American Geode followed the attached map, and found access to two of the mines, the ones off of Richardson Hollow Road, the Waisanen and Tamminen Quarrie The most commonly found and collected rocks and minerals in Maine are: Amethyst Beryl Biotite Quartz Tourmaline Garnet Feldspar Fluorapatite Columbite Jasper Amethyst Queen's frontman had said he . 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. From the South: From Maine Route 5 in Lovell, Maine turn west onto West Lovell Road and cross the narrows at Kezar Lake continuing to the right for approximately 2.75 mi. Dont let the name deceive you. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; 2 0 obj Take the Mine Trail to your right to the abandoned mine. Please note that I have not been to these locations.