What crystals are native to Illinois?

Calcite crystals are found in Illinois as linings in geodes, especially in the Nauvoo-Hamilton-Warsaw area. Thin calcite veins occur along joints in coal beds and vugs within limestone and dolomite. Small amounts of clear crystalline calcite are associated with various ores in northwestern and southern Illinois.

What is the gemstone of Illinois?

The General Assembly made fluorite the State Mineral in 1965, when flourspar mining was a multimillion- dollar-per-year industry in Illinois. Over the years, much more fluorite has been mined in Illinois than in any other state.

Where can I mine crystals in Illinois?

The vast geode producing veins present in the towns of Hamilton, Nauvoo and Warsaw in Hancock County, Illinois are a source of calcite crystals. Calcite can be found in the cavities of limestone, dolomite and coal deposits in the southern and northwestern part of the state.

Are there geodes in Illinois?

Although geodes can be found in carbonate-rich rocks throughout the state, one of the most famous geode collecting areas in the country is in western Illinois and adjacent parts of Iowa and Missouri. The region encompasses about a 70-mile radius from the towns of Warsaw, Hamilton, and Nauvoo.

Can you dig for crystals in Illinois?

The area mines around Rosiclare in southern Illinois are excellent to find some high-quality crystals. With a bit of luck you can find calcite crystals, purple, blue, yellow, and even clear fluorite specimens, and even sphalerite.

Geode Hunting

Are diamonds found in Illinois?

No bona fide finds of diamonds are indicated in Illinois but seven places are shown where there have been "reports of finds - probably true" along the Mississippi River, roughly above St. Louis, and along the lower Rock River. There are also three "vague unverified" reported occur- rences further up the Rock.

Which types of rocks are common in Illinois?

The Complexity of Illinois Geology

Lead and zinc ores, fluorspar, silica sand, limestone, sand, gravel, clay, and shale are all found at shallower depths. Most people, though, are aware of only those rocks and minerals found at or near the surface.

Is obsidian found in Illinois?

Virtually all of the obsidian documented in Illinois has come from Middle Woodland contexts, and it occurs mostly during a relatively restricted horizon that is commonly referred to as Hopewell. The dates for Hopewell vary somewhat by region but in Illinois probably range between cal. A.D. 50–200 (Fortier et al.

Where can you rockhound in Illinois?

Can you find gold in Illinois?

Gold is not known to occur in minable deposits anywhere in Illinois, so prospecting essentially refers to recreational panning. Gold has never been mined in Illinois, not even as a by-product of other types of mining such as fluorite, zinc-lead, or sand and gravel.

What type of rock is diamond found in?

Diamond is only formed at high pressures. It is found in kimberlite, an ultrabasic volcanic rock formed very deep in the Earth's crust.

Where can I mine geodes?

There are many easily accessible geode collecting sites in the western United States, including in California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. The state of Iowa also has geodes, in fact, the geode is their state rock. The finest concentration of geode sites in Southern California is in Riverside and Imperial counties.

What is the rarest geode color?

The rarest and most valuable geodes contain amethyst crystals and black calcite.

How do you tell if a rock is a geode?

How can you tell if a diamond is in the dirt?

What does a diamond look like when it's found?

Shape: Diamonds found at the Crater are typically smooth and well rounded. Their shape resembles a polished stone with smooth sides and rounded edges.

Do diamonds come in geodes?

Typically, geodes do not have gold or diamonds in them. The type of rock formations usually associated with gold is quartz, and with diamonds its kimberlite. Geodes are known to contain gems called Herkimer diamonds, Bristol Diamonds as well as Gold aura quartz, but they are not real gold or diamonds.

Is there Silver in Illinois?

Unfortunately, like every other state in the union, Illinois does not hold any of its reserves in gold and silver.

Can you find gold in creeks in Illinois?

With luck and patience, you can find a small amount of gold in some Illinois creeks. You may also be able to find fossils and semi-precious stones in these creeks as well. Gold does not occur in mineable deposits in the state of Illinois, but you can pan for gold recreationally in the hopes of finding placer gold.

What is mined in Illinois?

Major industrial minerals produced in Illinois today are crushed stone (limestone and dolomite), sand and gravel, clay, silica sand, tripoli (microcrystalline quartz), and peat. Portland cement, lime, and brick are also manufactured.

Are geodes valuable?

Large amethyst geodes can go for thousands. Baseball sized geodes with non-spectacular quartz or calcite crystals can be purchased for $4-$12. Geodes with uncommon minerals that are sold on mineral auction sites range in price from $30-$500. Golf ball sized geodes, uncracked, are sold for about $2 at shows.”

Are amethyst geodes rare?

Amethyst geodes have been stated to be significantly rarer. However, they are still as common as before. Amethyst geodes have now actually been made rarer, from 1 geode in 30 chunks to 1 geode in 53 chunks. Amethyst geodes no longer generate above Y=30.

How do I know if my rock is worth money?

The harder a mineral is, the more likely it is to be valuable. If you can scratch the mineral with your fingernail, it has a hardness of 2.5 Mohs, which is very soft. If you can scratch it with a penny, its hardness is 3 Mohs, and if it takes a piece of glass to scratch it, the hardness is 5.5 Mohs.