Some of our Favorite Collecting Locations

IMPORTANT: Unless otherwise noted, ALL COLLECTING LOCATIONS are on private property, closed to the public, with the owners only willing to allow organized, PRE-APPROVED field trips by club groups with proper guidance, and their own liability insurance. Be aware that many mine owners have invested in security measures.  Do NOT visit these locations on your own.

NEW HAMPSHIRE LOCATIONS

Palermo Mines:

Located in North Groton, the Palermo site consists of a number of mines, and is actively worked with fresh material hitting the dumps every year. Renowned for its spectacular assortment of rare phosphate minerals, including many which were first discovered here, a casual collector can usually count on finding nice pieces of Aquamarine, Heterosite, and lapidary grade Triphyllite with Pyrite inclusions. Happy is the digger who turns up a choice hunk of the bright blue Scorzalite! The mine road is rough in spots, and low-clearance vehicles will not make it up the last hill. The main digging areas are about 300 yards from the parking area. There is an exceptional outhouse on site.

Recommended Tools: Your favorite digging tools will come into play at this location, with small hammers for light trimming, perhaps a small sledge if you want to tackle a boulder. You will not be working any ledge. Screening may be productive in spots.

Tripp/Clark Complex:

Located in Alstead, is a simple but robust pegmatite deposit, known for its large, sharp and colorful crystals of Aquamarine and Heliodor, as well as glossy Schorl crystals, and large Garnets. The Tripp Mine is one of the only places open for collecting where one can still find Rose Quartz in abundance, though you may only take home enough to fill half of a 5-gallon bucket per visit. Under new ownership, the dumps are being freshly turned and new workings are adding material to the tailings. The mine road should be passable for a high-clearance vehicle, with the digging areas about 100yds from the parking area. In season, there is a porta-potty on premises.

Recommended Tools: Bring your sifting tools, digging tools and rock-breaking tools. The dumps are extensive, and turned frequently.

Ruggles Mine:

Ruggles Mine is located on Isinglass Mountain in Grafton. It is noted for its excellent vista views and steep dumps with tunnels and galleries into the granite walls. As of 2024 Ruggles reopened to the public and minerals clubs for collecting. Ruggles was the first commercial mica mine (1803) in the United States and was later mined for feldspar and the beryl. Mining for feldspar ended in 1969. During the mining for feldspar numerous uranium-bearing minerals were found. The mine is famous for its gummite specimens found in the 1930’s. Today, Ruggles is popular among collectors of fluorescent and radioactive minerals. Check out mindat for the long list of minerals found at this mine.

Recommended Tools: Digging tools, hand trowels and scraping claws are permitted by the general public. Club field trips are permitted hammers. No working the walls is permitted.

MAINE LOCATIONS

Mt Apatite West Complex:

Located on the outskirts of Auburn, this site consists of several quarries and prospects, all tapping into the lithium-enriched local pegmatite which has produced gem material – both Tourmaline and Garnet, as well as prized specimens of museum quality. Famous for its Purple Fluorapatite, here you can also find specimens of rarities like Schernikite, Brazilianite and Gahnite, as well as richly colored Lepidolite. Fine specimens of Graphic Granite lend themselves to lapidary work, as well. This mine is owned by Poland Mining Camps, and only pre-approved organized field trips, or PMC day-trippers may dig here. The mine road is passable for most vehicles, parking is within a few yards of digging, and there is a porta-potty on site.

Recommended Tools: Digging tools, hammers for breaking rocks, and screening for colorful gem material can be productive in some areas.

Consolidated Quarries:

Located in Georgetown, down on the coast, the Consolidated Quarries work the coastal pegmatite. Lithium enriched, and with new minerals found every year as the miners pursue the next gem Tourmaline pocket, the Consolidated is home to large crystals of Beryl, glossy columnar Schorl, Eosphorite and Purple Fluorapatite, to name a few sought-after materials, as well as recent finds of Arsenopyrite and Perhamite crystals. The mineral list is long, and of course, includes the prized Watermelon Tourmaline. Parking is right off the road so any vehicle is fine, and the walk to the digging areas varies from 150 to 400 yds. There are no bathroom facilities.

Recommended Tools: Digging tools are good, and in spots screening for gem material is productive, but this is also a site where you are allowed to work the outcrop, unless otherwise restricted by ongoing operations, so if you’re up for it, heavy hammers and chisels will be required.

Hayes Ledge Quarries (East and West):

Hayes Ledge Quarries is located in Greenwood on Noyes Mt. It is part of the Oxford pegmatite field. Hayes Ledge is best known for the 80-foot-long "Mother Mary Pocket" mined by Frank Perham and crew during August 2017, which contained many sceptered quartz crystals. This is a closed locality although several of the mineral clubs do digs there every year. One can find albite/cleavelandite, beryl, chrysocolla, fluorapatite, smoky quartz, columbite, almandine garnet, spodumene and yellow green muscovite.

Recommended Tools: Hammers, chisels, digging tools and screening tools can all be helpful here.

Havey Quarry:

In the town of Poland, not far from the famed pegmatites of Mt. Apatite, lies the Havey Quarry, the source of Sparhawk Tourmaline. ‘Watermelon’ Tourmaline was first recognized here. Opened in 1900, since 2013 it has enjoyed new acclaim, not only for producing fine gem material, but also distinctive specimens of deep purple Lepidolite, Hebron-style Fluorapatite crystals, sharp Cassiterites, and Loellingite-replaced Almandine Garnets. Large pockets of Smoky Quartz crystals have been recent discoveries. Collecting activity is confined to the quarry pit, but the dumps are easy to work with shovel and screen, and many collectors have had gems of their own cut from the pieces of Tourmaline they find here. You may take home as much as will fit into two 5-gallon buckets. The mine road is smooth enough for any vehicle, the walk to the diggings is about 100 yds, and there is a porta-potty on site.

Recommended Tools: Digging tools are good, and in spots screening for gem material is productive. You are not allowed to work any ledge.

MASSACHUSETTS LOCATION

Anson Betts Manganese Mines:

In Plainfield, in western Massachusetts, the Betts Mine is a fun, shady dig on a hot summer day. In addition to organized club trips, smaller groups may arrange a date privately by contacting EarthDance. Your take-home is limited to the contents of one 5- gallon bucket per visitor, each day. The most sought-after material here is probably the Rhodonite, which is found in fine lapidary quality, but sharp, lustrous crystals of Spessartine Garnet are also prized, as are specimens of Rutile, Pyrite, and Pyrrhotite. Parking is just off the road, and well-maintained paths lead throughout the property between the various collecting areas, which are well-identified.

Recommended Tools: A small shovel and a couple of hammers ought to be all you need. You’ll be digging and moving bread-loaf-sized rocks, most of them darkened with oxidation, and your best course is to gently hammer off a corner to see what you’ve found.