Allan is familiar with all aspects of the Mine, When in the area he assists diggers, to find and dig their own Fire Agate. Its private land. These are pieces of white chalcedony that also become concentrated on the lower slopes through the breakdown of the andesite bedrock. Proceed to your right to the level primitive Fluorite, Malachite, and Other Gemstones in Tucson, Arizona. As weathering of the andesite bedrock continues over time, the bedrock and large blocks of andesite found higher up on the ridge are broken down into smaller and smaller pieces and loose mineral soil which are gradually transported further and further downslope by Monsoon rain runoff. The mining is again in operation for Rock Hounds that hope to find some fire agates and opals by hard rock mining. Agates can show a wide variety of vivid, multiple colors. The fire wasburning3 miles west of the Verde River and3 miles northeast of Red Creek Ranch. Afton Canyon . All rights reserved. Or Compound? The material is dispersed over a large area, so finding good pieces can take some time. Dont worry the process is fairly simple and youre guaranteed to find some amazing nodules. The Black Hills stones are not as Jasper, Agate, Quartz, Fluorite, and even geodes are among the rocks and minerals to be discovered. There are areas where you can metal detect, pan for gold, and sluice for gold. Please give us a call at 928-428-2560, Copyright Because of it's elusiveness, it's highly sought-after by jewelers, collectors and rockhounders. Its a geologic melting pot of rock, minerals, gemstones and fossils that is sort of Mecca for any novice or dedicated rock and mineral collector alike. The fire agate and chalcedony of the Southern New Mexico-Arizona border area is formed when low pressure and low temperature epithermal hydrothermal waters (50-200C / 122-392F) carrying colloidal SiO 2 and iron oxides are injected into cavities in volcanic rocks such as gas bubbles in flow rocks, irregular-shaped vug fillings, or . This site is open to collection from October 1 through February 18. Black Hills Rockhound Area | Safford, AZ 85546 - Visit Tucson Fire Agate. There is even a kiosk with a visual guide to many species of fossils that can be found at the site. They can spend a bit of time looking for fossils as well because it is right in the center of Arizona and enclosed by the National Forest. Mountain, a small hill at the center of the rockhounding area. We spent 3 days here, and enjoyed the solitude. The Black Hills Rockhound Area is located in Arizona, 50 miles west of Casitas de Gila Guesthouses, just off US Highway 191, about 13 miles west of the crossroads community of Three Way and 19 miles east of Safford, Arizona. I highly recommend visiting Arizona to utilize our public lands and engage in some serious rockhounding. The principal attraction for rock collectors here is fire agate. Notice the great views to the west of the Peloncillo Secure .gov websites use HTTPS This is one of the best Arizona rockhounding sites for diversity and has a plethora of high quality Arizona rocks, gem, and minerals. This collection consists of various reports, maps, records and related materials . 50 Casita Flats Rd PO Box 325 Its even better if youre an amateur rock collector because youre always guaranteed to collect a few gems, even along some roadways. The flat desert floor has some exceptional specimens of fire agate and nice petrified wood specimens. situations by filling in holes once you are finished and that you Sami Fine Jewelry is not only one of the few fine jewelers who design jewelry with Four Peaks amethyst, plus give guests a once-in-a-lifetime helicopter expedition of the Four Peaks Amethyst Mine. They are a rounded obsidian volcanic black glass core surrounded by a rough black outer surface. Additionally, jasper, agate, valuable metals, and sometimes even thundereggs are among the minerals and rocks found here. A type of Agate infused with iron and other elements in such a manner that in some cases, it looks as if there's fire inside of it, Fire Agate can only be found in a few Southwest states, as well as Mexico. such tremendous rewards for so little effort. . Saddle Mountain Arizona Fire agate spot. Look no further than rockhounding! The change in landscape, both topographically, geologically, biologically and ecologically over this 14 mile stretch of highway is both dramatic and amazing and for most travelers will be remembered as one highlight of the days journey. Semi-transparent and translucent chalcedony as collected at Black Hills Rockhound area February 10, 2016. A great photo opportunity location is adjacent to the shop. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays. it, this is an excellent time and place to get started. Where Can I Find Agate Rocks? Best Places in the US & World I did some fire agate collecting out in the Saddle mountain area about year ago. For over 50 years, people from all over have been coming to Saddle Mountain in search of Fire Agate. As the legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine has it, somewhere deep in the rugged Superstition Mountains of the hostile Sonoran Desert lies a literal Gold Mine. Wyoming and Montana (Yellowstone National Park, USA): Scenic agate, Wyoming iris agate. If course Lol !! Buy It Now. fee: $30.00 - $50.00 a day, Tool Rentals, $5.00 a day. Arizona fires map: Where wildfires are currently burning The most desirable colors are usually blue, green, and purple, and they can usually be purchased for about $15 to $25 per carat. Committee Fire: 362 acres east of Sedona, 100% . And as an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission on qualifying purchases after clicking on those links, at no additional cost to you. Opal Hill Mine (Blythe) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go - Tripadvisor At 77-years-old Duncan . Fire agate has been reportedly found in 15 locations on Arizona, as well as several locations in New Mexico and two . Pick up a copy of Gem Trails Of Arizona, check out some of our information on this site, and do some research of your own to get all the knowledge you need to make the most of a rock hounding trip that could extend to all four corners of this geologically diverse state. The Deer Creek Fire Agate Mine is in Graham, Arizona. any rock collecting, gemstone hunting or have just thought about In this video, I'll take you to a spot slightly south of Saddle Mountain, just off of a main dirt road replete with millions of pieces of Fire Agate, and provide the location and coordinates to get you there. Though Arizona has produced much less of this element than other states, it has killed many who believed they could find it. As you can see, Arizona is the real deal when it comes to rocks, gems, and minerals. If you're not, be sure to consider and take It is estimated that the San Carlos Indian Reservation supplies 80%-90% of the world supply that is mined only by San Carlos Tribal members. fire agate - Review of Black Hills Rockhound Area, Safford, AZ A top-notch area in Arizona to gather rocks and minerals is near Congress Junction. Please look at all our cabs and pieces and let us know if you have any questions!! arizona fire agate rough for sale: Search Result | eBay From Phoenix take I-10 west towards Tonopah. The fire agate from Deer Creek Arizona ranks high on the list of desired collected gemstones, mineral specimens, and lapidary gemstone cutting material. Rockhounding around Kingman, Arizona : r/rockhounds - Reddit What is special about fire agate is that it contains platy layers of iron oxide crystals (limonite . Here are the ideal areas inside the city and its periphery to collect gems from Agate to Amethyst: Black Canyon Highway Chalcedony, Jasper & more, New River area Jasper, Agate, Chalcedony, Agua Fria River Chalcedony, Agate, Jasper. The mine follows an angular vein of quartz on the side of the rough mountaintops. This is also a Black Hills rockhound area is located on the north side of Arizona route 191, between Safford and Clifton, about 18 miles north of Safford. for rockhounding and non-commercial removal of specimens, with no windmill on the left side of the highway. This particular spot is considered to be among the richest areas in the world for this gem. The route travels into New Mexico and back into Arizona across about 12 miles of desert dirt road. A MODICUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE SUCCESSFUL SEARCH FOR AND RECOVERY OF THE RECLUSIVE AND ELUSIVE FIRE AGATE AND CHALCEDONY OF THE BLACK HILLS ROCKHOUND AREA, Close up of pyroclastic rhyolite ash fall welded tuff bedrock forming massive resistant cliffs at east end of ridge north of parking area. Petrified dung to fire agates to amethysts, Duncan shop has it known as fire agates may be collected. After reading this, however, it must always be kept in mind when setting out for a day of rockhounding, that just like it is in fishing, there will always be the occasional great day, many good days, and those other days where, well, it was certainly a nice day for being out in the desert connecting with nature! The Saddle Mountain fire agate, with gem quality being rare and hard to find, are a nice addition to any mineral collection. Yellows and reds can be bought for $5 to $10 per carat. miles to the New Mexico state line. Heber Peridot Peridot spinel location - (20 collector specimens from same city, 13 collector specimens from nearby locations) Perkinsville Perkinsville Agate Quartzsite Plomosa Road - (2 collector specimens) Roosevelt Graham297 is located in T9S R20E Sec 12 N2 in the Kennedy Peak - 7.5 Min quad. Some of the links on our website are affiliate links. BLM free Fire Agate collecting site. This particular spot is considered to be among . An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. However, I was not looking only for fire, but just grabbing the chalcedony period. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Both andesite and rhyolite ash fall welded tuff bedrock occur along the top of the ridge north of parking area. Rockhounding Reports, Locations, Trips and Shows, forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/57708/surface-collecting-west-phoenix. Speaking ofwhere to find rocks near Phoenix, old mines and prospects clutter the area around this city in western Arizona. Fire agate is one of the more rare gemstones around, and its unusual patterns ensure that every piece makes a bold statement. Traveling to the mine, located at a cool 7200 feet elevation, is no simple task. Safford, AZ 85546. This fire agate mineral collecting site, located off I-10 near Tonopah, has some fire agate as well as an abundant supply of chalcedony and quartz specimens for the rock collector. The Indian Gardens Paleo Site contains a large variety and density of small invertebrate shelled organisms in the limestone and sandstone layers. These gemstones can be found in only a few locations worldwide, which makes them special to every gem collector. The site can be accessed via highway 260 east out of the town of Payson, AZ. Most importantly, have fun collecting, and feel free to email us about your trip. Overall,rockhounding near Phoenix, Arizona, is a big deal because the availability of locations and actual gems is mind-blowing. Round Mountain. Safford Field Office fire_agate - AZBluerockers 95% contained as of July 7; Snap Point Fire: 9,843 acres. Arizona is one of America's leading mining States, although the primary focus in the past has been on the heavy metals rather than the other beautiful gemstones and minerals.