Minerals from the USA

The United States is one of the most important countries in the world for mineral specimens, with an enormous variety of localities and mineral types across its vast territory.

Some of the most well-known localities include the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado, famous for its rhodochrosite – bright red, highly lustrous crystals that are among the finest known. Colorado is also known for smoky quartz, amazonite, and fluorite combinations, especially from the Pikes Peak pegmatites.

Arizona is one of the best-known mineral-producing states, particularly for copper-related minerals. Bisbee, Morenci, and other mines have produced world-class specimens of azurite, malachite, cuprite, and native copper. Other states with strong copper specimen production include Michigan – especially from the Keweenaw Peninsula, where large sheets and wires of native copper and silver have been found.

California has a history of gem mining, especially for tourmaline from the Pala and Himalaya pegmatites. These deposits have also produced morganite, kunzite, and other pegmatite minerals. Benitoite, the state gemstone of California, is a rare and striking blue barium titanium silicate, found almost exclusively at the Dallas Gem mine.

New York has produced fine Herkimer diamonds – water-clear, doubly terminated quartz crystals. Meanwhile, New Jersey is known for fluorescent minerals like willemite, calcite, and franklinite from the Franklin and Sterling Hill mines.

Quartz, feldspar, garnet, and fluorite occur in many states. The Elmwood Mine in Tennessee has produced excellent fluorite in purple and amber tones, often with calcite and barite. Arkansas is known for high-quality quartz crystals, especially from Mount Ida.

Labels for U.S. specimens are typically very specific, often including mine name, county, and state, and are generally well-documented.

United States of America