Rare Gems and Minerals in Missouri
Missouri is known for its numerous natural resources. You can find quite a few minerals, rocks, and gemstones in this state. You can find them in fields, in caves, on farms and in mines. Some of the top minerals to find in Missouri are:
If you are a gemstone enthusiast, then you may find different varieties of barite in open-pit workings in old mines in Washington County. You can also some translucent and transparent barite crystals in abandoned mines in Moniteau and Morgan counties.
Barite is a valuable brittle non-metallic mineral that is usually gray, white, or bluish in color. In some locals the barite may also be colorless, brown, yellow, and red.
Missouri is an important producer of barite in the United States. Most of the production is done in Washington County where the barite is found in residual red clay. You can also find barite in the Ozarks region.
Barite is used commercially in the medical field, and due to its heavy weight it is also commonly used in mud drilling especially for high-pressure oil wells. Barite is also used to produce the chemical barium that is used as ballast in the tires of heavy construction machinery.
While it does have great commercial properties, rockhounds also like to collect it for aesthetic purposes. Since it is being mined commercially for various purposes, it can also be found in the same areas and crystals can sometimes be located.
Dolomite is one of the important minerals found in Missouri. The dolomite is made up of magnesium carbonate and calcium although it may also contain minor quantities of iron and manganese. Usually, the dolomite is found is a wide variety of colors such as pink, brown, gray, green, black, white and colorless.
The majority of dolomite found in the state are white and hexagonal crystal in shape. In Missouri, you can find dolomite in Jasper country and in the southern parts of Missouri. Dolomite is another commercially produced mineral that occasionally forms structures that are interesting to collect.
This is one of the most popular collectible minerals in Missouri. The name is derived from the Latin word for "Ore." Galena is usually silver to dark gray in color. Most of the galena is found in the Joplin, Flat River, central Missouri and Fredericktown.
Although not particularly abundant, many are surprised to learn that there is gold found in some parts of Missouri. In most cases, you will find gold with copper, silver, or iron. In fact, gold is not easily found in the state, and geologists have not found any large deposit that would necessitate commercial mining.
However, small deposit carried down from Canada by the glaciers during the last ice age can be found all over the state.
Read more about Glacial Gold Deposits in the Midwest
A New Resource for Gold Prospectors in the Midwest!
Read More >>
Quartz is one of the more common collectable minerals in Missouri. It comes in a variety of colors such as clear, brown, pink, and purple. Purple quartz is called amethyst, the most popular of the varieties.
Quartz is used to make glass and sometimes as an ornamental stone. Being an abundant mineral, and then you can collect them in the Washington County especially around Old Mines and Potosi. They are also commonly found in northern Missouri also.
Sphalerite is an important collectable mineral found in Missouri. It often goes by different names such as Black Jack, Rosin Jack, Ruby Jack or simply Jack. The mineral rock comes in many colors such as brown, black, green, yellow, and red.
You will most often find it in the southwest Missouri but it has also been reported in northern Missouri albeit in much smaller quantities.
Barite
If you are a gemstone enthusiast, then you may find different varieties of barite in open-pit workings in old mines in Washington County. You can also some translucent and transparent barite crystals in abandoned mines in Moniteau and Morgan counties.
Barite is a valuable brittle non-metallic mineral that is usually gray, white, or bluish in color. In some locals the barite may also be colorless, brown, yellow, and red.
Missouri is an important producer of barite in the United States. Most of the production is done in Washington County where the barite is found in residual red clay. You can also find barite in the Ozarks region.
Barite is used commercially in the medical field, and due to its heavy weight it is also commonly used in mud drilling especially for high-pressure oil wells. Barite is also used to produce the chemical barium that is used as ballast in the tires of heavy construction machinery.
While it does have great commercial properties, rockhounds also like to collect it for aesthetic purposes. Since it is being mined commercially for various purposes, it can also be found in the same areas and crystals can sometimes be located.
Dolomite
Dolomite is one of the important minerals found in Missouri. The dolomite is made up of magnesium carbonate and calcium although it may also contain minor quantities of iron and manganese. Usually, the dolomite is found is a wide variety of colors such as pink, brown, gray, green, black, white and colorless.
The majority of dolomite found in the state are white and hexagonal crystal in shape. In Missouri, you can find dolomite in Jasper country and in the southern parts of Missouri. Dolomite is another commercially produced mineral that occasionally forms structures that are interesting to collect.
Galena
This is one of the most popular collectible minerals in Missouri. The name is derived from the Latin word for "Ore." Galena is usually silver to dark gray in color. Most of the galena is found in the Joplin, Flat River, central Missouri and Fredericktown.
Gold
Although not particularly abundant, many are surprised to learn that there is gold found in some parts of Missouri. In most cases, you will find gold with copper, silver, or iron. In fact, gold is not easily found in the state, and geologists have not found any large deposit that would necessitate commercial mining.
However, small deposit carried down from Canada by the glaciers during the last ice age can be found all over the state.
Read more about Glacial Gold Deposits in the Midwest
Read More >>
Quartz
Quartz is one of the more common collectable minerals in Missouri. It comes in a variety of colors such as clear, brown, pink, and purple. Purple quartz is called amethyst, the most popular of the varieties.
Quartz is used to make glass and sometimes as an ornamental stone. Being an abundant mineral, and then you can collect them in the Washington County especially around Old Mines and Potosi. They are also commonly found in northern Missouri also.
Sphalerite
Sphalerite is an important collectable mineral found in Missouri. It often goes by different names such as Black Jack, Rosin Jack, Ruby Jack or simply Jack. The mineral rock comes in many colors such as brown, black, green, yellow, and red.
You will most often find it in the southwest Missouri but it has also been reported in northern Missouri albeit in much smaller quantities.
Get this Highly Recommended New Book:
The Gold Prospector's Field Guide:
A Modern Miner's Handbook for Successfully Finding Gold