Rare Gems and Minerals in New York
New York is popular for its distinctive variety of quartz crystals known as Herkimer Diamonds. Various other varieties of quartz, garnets, calcite, tourmaline, and cubic minerals can be found at different locations of the state.
The Herkimer diamond was designated as the official state mineral of New York in the year 2012. This mineral is variety of quartz and is also known as the Little Falls Diamond as it was originally discovered at Little Falls situated in Herkimer County of New York.
One can also find Herkimer diamond at the Crystal Grove Diamond Mine situated in the town of St. Johnsville in Montgomery County. New York is known around the world for its distinctive Herkimer diamonds.
Garnet was designated as the official state gemstone of New York in the year 1969. The most common form of garnet is the almandine garnet and is usually found in a reddish-black hue.
Garnets are commonly found in metamorphic rocks. New York is considered as one of the world’s largest garnet producing states, particularly the Barton Garnet Mine which is located within the Gore Mountains close to North river in Warren County. The size of some of the garnet crystals found here are enormous.
Surprisingly, the other location in the state of New York where almandine garnet has been found is at some construction sites on the island of Manhattan in New York City.
Calcite can be found at a number of locations throughout New York State. Some of these places are Rossie Lead Mines located in the town of Rossie in St. Lawrence County, Oxbow in Jefferson County, Haverstraw located in Rockland County, Verplanck in Westchester County, ZCA Hyatt Mine located in the town of Talcville in St, Lawrence County, and many other mines and quarries in Montgomery, Niagara, Lewis, St. Lawrence and Rockland Counties.
Celestine is a pale blue colored mineral that consists of strontium sulfate and is the basic source of strontium which is used in many metal alloys and in manufacture of fireworks. The places where Celestine is found in the state of New York are at an area close to the Chittenango Falls in Madison County, Penfield Quarry in Monroe County, Balmat in St. Lawrence County and Champlain in Clinton-Essex County.
Dravite is a variety of tourmaline and occurs in different shades of brown color such as pale brown, dark brown, dark yellowish brown, brownish black and occasionally blue. Dravite can be found at the Reese Farm located in the towns of Gouverneur and Richville, around the Seven Springs Ski area in Parishville and a few areas in St. Lawrence County and on the Manhattan Island.
Magnetite is a mineral consisting of iron oxide and is magnetic in nature. These minerals are found in the form of cubes and when examined closely, the main outer cube is composed of a number of smaller cubes forming a magnetic colony inside.
Magnetite is opaque and found in dark colors such as grey and black. The mineral is sometimes also known as Lodestone. The best locations where cubic magnetite can be found in the state of New York are around town of Balmat in St. Lawrence County. Magnetite has also been found in many parts of the Adirondack Mountains.
Sphalerite is the main ore of zinc and is found in colors such as grey, brown, black, red, orange, yellow and green owing to the iron impurities present in the mineral. The locations where sphalerite can be found are the town of Lockport and the Redlands Quarry close to Niagara Falls. Deposits have also been found in St. Lawrence and Wayne Counties.
Herkimer Diamond
The Herkimer diamond was designated as the official state mineral of New York in the year 2012. This mineral is variety of quartz and is also known as the Little Falls Diamond as it was originally discovered at Little Falls situated in Herkimer County of New York.
One can also find Herkimer diamond at the Crystal Grove Diamond Mine situated in the town of St. Johnsville in Montgomery County. New York is known around the world for its distinctive Herkimer diamonds.
Almandine Garnet
Garnet was designated as the official state gemstone of New York in the year 1969. The most common form of garnet is the almandine garnet and is usually found in a reddish-black hue.
Garnets are commonly found in metamorphic rocks. New York is considered as one of the world’s largest garnet producing states, particularly the Barton Garnet Mine which is located within the Gore Mountains close to North river in Warren County. The size of some of the garnet crystals found here are enormous.
Surprisingly, the other location in the state of New York where almandine garnet has been found is at some construction sites on the island of Manhattan in New York City.
Calcite
Calcite can be found at a number of locations throughout New York State. Some of these places are Rossie Lead Mines located in the town of Rossie in St. Lawrence County, Oxbow in Jefferson County, Haverstraw located in Rockland County, Verplanck in Westchester County, ZCA Hyatt Mine located in the town of Talcville in St, Lawrence County, and many other mines and quarries in Montgomery, Niagara, Lewis, St. Lawrence and Rockland Counties.
Celestine
Celestine is a pale blue colored mineral that consists of strontium sulfate and is the basic source of strontium which is used in many metal alloys and in manufacture of fireworks. The places where Celestine is found in the state of New York are at an area close to the Chittenango Falls in Madison County, Penfield Quarry in Monroe County, Balmat in St. Lawrence County and Champlain in Clinton-Essex County.
Dravite
Dravite is a variety of tourmaline and occurs in different shades of brown color such as pale brown, dark brown, dark yellowish brown, brownish black and occasionally blue. Dravite can be found at the Reese Farm located in the towns of Gouverneur and Richville, around the Seven Springs Ski area in Parishville and a few areas in St. Lawrence County and on the Manhattan Island.
Magnetite
Magnetite is a mineral consisting of iron oxide and is magnetic in nature. These minerals are found in the form of cubes and when examined closely, the main outer cube is composed of a number of smaller cubes forming a magnetic colony inside.
Magnetite is opaque and found in dark colors such as grey and black. The mineral is sometimes also known as Lodestone. The best locations where cubic magnetite can be found in the state of New York are around town of Balmat in St. Lawrence County. Magnetite has also been found in many parts of the Adirondack Mountains.
Sphalerite
Sphalerite is the main ore of zinc and is found in colors such as grey, brown, black, red, orange, yellow and green owing to the iron impurities present in the mineral. The locations where sphalerite can be found are the town of Lockport and the Redlands Quarry close to Niagara Falls. Deposits have also been found in St. Lawrence and Wayne Counties.
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