Learning Center What is a mineral?The most common minerals on earth Information for Educators Mindat Articles The Elements The Rock H. Currier Digital Library Geologic Time

Minerals by Properties Minerals by Chemistry Advanced Locality Search Random Mineral Random Locality Search by minID Localities Near Me Search Articles Search Glossary More Search Options

The Mindat Manual Add a New Photo Rate Photos Locality Edit Report Coordinate Completion Report Add Glossary Item

Mining Companies Statistics Users Mineral Museums Clubs & Organizations Mineral Shows & Events The Mindat Directory Device Settings The Mineral Quiz

Photo Search Photo Galleries Search by Color New Photos Today New Photos Yesterday Members' Photo Galleries Past Photo of the Day Gallery Photography

Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

╳Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

Groups

Recent Images in Discussions

Field Collectingminerals/ fossils found in Maui, Hawaii

27th Aug 2012 20:10 UTCShanna Rodenberg

Hello all... It's been awhile since I've been on this site, but this is the first place I think of when I'm doing research. So here goes...

I was wondering if anyone has been or has any knowledge of different minerals, rocks and or fossils in Maui. I am going to be moving there for a year and love adventure- almost as much as finding beautiful minerals. I have done several searches online and haven't found anything as of yet. -A little curious for me since there are volcanoes there. lol. It just seems like one of these beautiful islands in Hawaii would have some interesting finds.

Does anyone have any advice or any leads? Any information or direction would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Shanna

27th Aug 2012 20:26 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Shanna, I've never been to Maui myself, but the only two macroscopic minerals I've seen from there are the "Maui diamonds" (really quartz crystals) from the Olowalu valley, and hundreds of floater augite crystals from the western edge of Haleakala national park. I've no idea what the land ownership issues might be - there must be a county tax assessors office where you could ask about land ownership.

27th Aug 2012 22:07 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

Here's what Mindat has to say on the issue: http://www.mindat.org/loc-204603.html

21st Oct 2013 04:53 UTCMatt Ciranni

I know that peridot/olivine crystals do form in and around Haleakala National Park, because they have them on display at the visitor center. As far as collecting these yourself...I dunno how to go about that. Pretty sure they won't let you just take them from within the park boundaries. Probably your best bet would be to find a local, like the guy above, who has access to some of the private ranches around the area.

21st Oct 2013 08:42 UTCKC Dalby

What can be found from a personal experience as a teenager, is to collect examples of slow and fast cooling lavas- the Hawaiian names are alluding me, And travel to the black sand beaches for the chance to find peridots. Also, shark teeth can be found on the beaches.

Just enjoy the allergy free climate, beautiful vistas and meet and speak to the true natives-their history is very unique!!

KC Dalby

26th Oct 2013 17:59 UTCGary Weinstein

Shanna,

As the islands are, relatively, young there are not many minerals there. Calcite crystals were found in Diamond Head (the crater east of Waikiki beach and Honolulu). Peridot is abundant just do not collect in National Parks. Take up John on his offer. The interesting geological sites on the islands include museums, Waiamea (sp.?) Canyon, the spouting horn and the Fern Grotto on Kawai, the craters and lava flows on the big island of Hawaii (sulphuruos crusts around fumeroles), Thurstons Lave Tube, black sand beach, green sand beach, dissapearing beach, interesting sealife in the shallows and others I have forgotten. The names of the lava are Ah-Ah and Pahoehoe. There are also Peles tears and hair.

Have a great year (I'm envious),

Gary

16th May 2014 09:49 UTCNate Collins

My name is Nate. I'm from the northwest. I have always had a passion for rock hounding. I miss the ability I had on the mainland. I found a great specimen of a Maui daimond at a beach near olowalu. If you have the time I would love to get the chance to search for more. If you get a chance it would be greatly appreciated to go explore more. Let me know if you have a time that would work for you. Thanks. Nate

17th May 2014 21:48 UTCWayne Corwin

Nate

Do you have a photo of your "Maui daimond" that you can show us? :-D

30th Jul 2014 23:35 UTCJuicestain

31st Jul 2014 17:35 UTCRob Woodside 🌟 Manager

Chalcedony!

13th Aug 2014 17:57 UTCJuicestain

here's another picture 3 of them still attached to a rock

1st Oct 2014 22:35 UTCJames Urbaniak

I remember as a kid growing up in Hawaii looking for rocks, fossils and minerals and finding calcite, peridot, cool looking lava and marine fossils but that was about it. As noted earlier in this message board, the islands are still relatively young and haven't really developed any great mineralization. That doesn't mean you can't find some of the aforementioned specimens though. I would also recommend considering trading specimens with other collectors on the mainland to augment your collection and maybe consider looking at seashells too. Good luck!

6th Nov 2014 14:03 UTCpam

Were these found on Maui? Very nice where would one look

22nd Oct 2015 01:37 UTCSpun

I have some yellow quartz I found in hawaii. I cant give the exact location but maybe someone can tell me how it is possiable that there here in the first place ..

1st Nov 2015 04:31 UTCWayne Corwin

Spun

Can you tell us if you found them on a beach, top of a mountain or somewhere in between?

Did you find them on the surface, or have to dig for them?

And,,, could you show us a photo or 2?

1st Nov 2015 17:28 UTCHolger Hartmaier 🌟

Isn't it considered bad luck to take things off the island?:-S

We're off to Maui in the new year and my family wants me to bring back all the lava and olivine-bearing rock samples I collected on the Big Island 10 years ago. Every bad thing that's happened in the past 10 years has been my fault because of this curse. Has anyone else felt the wrath of Pelee?

1st Nov 2015 21:12 UTCHenry Barwood

I brought back petrographic samples 12 years ago and have had mostly good luck since then.

1st Nov 2015 21:32 UTCGregg Little 🌟

The "fast and slow" lava terms of pahoehoe and 'a'a respectively is the smooth surfaced lava verses the sharp or fragmented lava surface associated with different temperatures, flow rates and volumes,etc. I too haven't felt Madame Pelee's wrath although I have collected beach sand and a nice aesthetic piece of lava with flow ridges; may be geologists are exempt ;>).

2nd Nov 2015 17:53 UTCRob Woodside 🌟 Manager

Ahh! That's the problem!!! My "Aunt" Lilla brought me a piece of lava with olivine from Hawaii when I was about 10.

4th Nov 2015 01:49 UTCEugene & Sharon Cisneros Expert

I think the bad luck thing is subjective... My friend said that the rocks that they came home with brought him good luck and even cured a medical problem that he was having. His wife says that they have caused her to be tired all the time.

7th Dec 2015 22:58 UTCJohn Oostenryk

Off topic as to Maui~ Not been there. Oahu was pretty tight during my visit in 2000. Had fun but pretty developed/commercial, and elevations are pretty radical due to being older and very eroded. Wasn't really a geology trip anyway~

Big Island was an absolute dream as geol field trip~ wonderful place! Read several guide books prior. The curse is discussed regarding it is totally contrived (and documented as being first publicized late in 20th century, not prior, iirc.) I TOTALLY get the original purpose- do NOT touch the cultural artifacts. There are many old(and new) shrine areas there. Look but don't molest them. Simple. Same as everywhere else.

The geol material got lumped in because many simple tourists don't realize what they are picking up or disturbing. Of course, there are a lot of PARK grounds too. Again, off limits to collecting. The only place I saw (outside posted Nat/State) park that was specifically posted was at Mahana Beach (aka: Papakōlea Beach), South Point, Big Island. This is the olivine sand beach. $500 fine for removing material. I suspect emplaced against commercial trinket sellers(baggy with green sand attached to card). On walk there, take a stroll off road to surf line, there is green sand available for a mile or better prior if you want some. It is pretty cool stuff:)

The only people afflicted with a curse is those who have a guilty conscience. And I am not saying they are guilty of having done anything improper. It is just negative reinforcement messing with their head. Everyone has "bad" things happen, it is simply perspective. If you dwell on unfortunate situations, it will seem as you have more than the next guy who does not discuss/dwell on his bad days!

Stay positive people!

To whit~ I brought back 35 lbs of samples from various sites on island. One site was a guided tour at the (then) advancing lava front on private property. There was a lady who tagged along with our group of 21 (she wanted to go that morning so guide said sure-show up). We were busy extruding molten flow material with sticks and looking at solidified material(being further buried!) It was SO COOOOL! Oh man, it was cool (or rather HOT- like blast furnace when pulling material out but still awesome:)

As we stood back for a bit, the lady asked the local guide about his view on the 'curse', and you could tell she was a bit scandalized by our actions, and expecting the guide to be similar.

It was interesting, he dithered for a minute to put his view into words. Gist was, he saw no problem with people taking home rock. Pele was providing more daily. She gives and takes, but this was just rock, so no problem. If it was at a holy site, that would be different. As he pointed out, the (now buried agriculture) field was no different farming food/ hay for export than lava rocks! To her credit, she was swayed, content with his position. Common sense prevailed:)

I would note too, there was various conflicting info "out there" about the 'legality' of leaving with specimens. Various sites said you could NOT leave with it. I was a bit uncertain but refuse to let fear rule/ruin my fun! I doubled down and packed all the good finds. Even distributed some of my extra clothing not having room, to fellow classmates who were specimen light. I would like to state for record- It IS legal. LoL

The airline ticket counter folk were amused by my bag weight when I checked it in~ Hearing that yes- it WAS rocks, and yes, I was a geologist, they (very kindly) waived the overage fee on my extra .2 lbs. In fact they warmed up and chatted further with me about the trip and findings.

You do have to go through the agricultural scanner (xray too). Those guys were super friendly too as I explained "rocks". I realized they have a very good opinion of geology as it is geologists who tell them where to get the (limited) fresh water, the places to safely build (not on old flows, faults etc) and keep them aware of what the lava IS doing. It was very positive experience seeing that the general population THERE, really 'get it', as to what 'geology' is doing for them!

I will add- on way home, at a connecting flight, I chose to accept a $500 travel voucher for waiting for a later flight. When boarding that plane, oops, we ended up staying over night as the pilot called in sick. Hey, I would rather stay over than have an ill pilot! Thank You! (or wait, was it the curse-LOL) The hotel room they put me in for free- was the most posh place I have ever stayed in~ kinda ridiculous but hey- free! Long story short- I got home next day- no bigge, my bag with samples was waiting for me at home! I used that voucher to get to the next Tucson Show, for free. No curse that! Sweet! And the samples? Still using those 'personally made, solidified lavas' to wow visitors. All Good! :)

Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2024, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: April 19, 2024 16:30:40

Go to top of page