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Some of the links on our website are affiliate links. But do you know what to do with your old rock collections? The mines opened in these places tend to have various opal specimens. However, lets focus on what we know. If you go to the county of Elmore, you might find regular topaz. Rather than decomposing, silica preserves the wood tissues, transforming them into opalized wood fossils. These areas all contain decent samples of the mineral, but theyre only the beginning of a much longer list. In the county of Adams, you can find zoisite, and fossils, in the Seven Devils Mining District. While the main geological resources of the state are industrial, there are still some really cool stones hiding out among the hills. Gypsum is mainly known as a valuable resource. Best Rockhounding Sites in Idaho & What You Can Find Another great place is Owyhee County. In northeastern Oregon, you can find nodules filled with opals at Buttes, just southeast of Heppner. That said, they make for stunning display gems sold to museums and rock shops for collectors and home decor. 6.80 ct Gem faceted Welo opal. S of Lewiston in basalts, Clearwater River, in gravels near Lewiston, East Fork Emerald Creek, near Bovill & Clarkia, Carpenter Creek, 5 mi. The best rockhounding sites for rocks and minerals in Idaho: Idaho is one of the most mineral-rich states in America, so it should come as no surprise that there is an enormous number of rocks and minerals to be found here. While Utah isnt a leading supplier of opals, they spring up from regions across the state. In some instances, opals may be found even in lakes, or other bodies of water, most likely carried out due to natural phenomena. Idaho is an excellent place to rockhound as it is also known under the name of The State Gem. Its mountains are filled with silver veins, gold, and other mineral ores, and it is home to the deepest canyon in the US, Hells Canyon. The Black Rock Desert is also a great place to explore. Source Star Garnet We touched on star garnets above since theyre a special case, but there are actually quite a few garnets in Idaho if you know where to look. Having counties such as Gem County, Idaho is a gemstone paradise! You can also go to the Lime Creek area, which is 12 miles south of Challis, or the Iris along Willow Creek south of Callis to find quartz crystals. The quantity of opals discovered here is unrecorded, but opals often surface while mining for desirable agates. Fake Opal: Focus on These 6 Differences, 8 Factors Why Opal is Valuable (Prices for Different Types), Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home), Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids), How to Cut & Polish Opals: Follow These 9 Simple Steps, Virgin Valley, Black Rock Desert, Fish Lake Valley, Spencer Opal Mine, Setters, Moscow, Snake River, Priday Agate Beds, White Rock, Opal Butte. If you are near Piute County, head towards the surrounding mines near Marysvale to find opals. The Star Garnet is the state gemstone, and a wide variety of other beautiful minerals including opals, jasper, quartz, amethyst, petrified wood, and so much more can be found in the beautiful state of Idaho. The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information for every location on this page. if you find a cool rock that's not an opal, take it. The True Worth of Agates. Go to Owyhee County, as jasper is found in different colors there, such as red, green, yellow, or mossy. Where can you find opals in Oregon? The crystals themselves are even more impressive than the gems, in this rockhounds opinion. Quartz crystals, geodes, and thundereggs are found in the western part of the county. Opals in Idaho Agate Enchantment & Rock Wizardry 9.96K subscribers 496 21K views 3 years ago Once again sharing with YOU the knowledge we learned about Opals join us on our wonderful. Kilgore seems to be the hot spot for obsidian, but so might be Kellys Canyon, but the specimens are rather small. Where are opal mines? Branded opal specimens can be uncovered just 3 miles west of Challis. While much of it is concentrated in this area, youll actually find reports of both common and precious opal from all over the state. Star garnets are only found in two places in the world. Opal Hunting at the Spencer, Idaho Mini-Mine by Andy Jansen #opals Alabama has yielded a 4i%4 carat diamond from Shelby County, 30 miles . I encourage you to check them out if you are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting. Going this route virtually ensures that you will find something beautiful worth keeping and adding to your collection.