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GeneralWashington State Finds

27th Sep 2016 16:47 UTCToby Seim

Greetings All,

I live in the highly mineralized state of Washington, many great collecting locations and historical discoveries. I am looking to jump further into the collecting realm by reaching out to experienced collectors who are passionate about the growth of the activity. If it interests you to geek out on some rocks and pass down some knowledge, please send a message.

I'd also like to take this opportunity for some photos of your favorite Washington Finds!! This is Whatcom County Calcite. (rhomb..)

Cheers,

27th Sep 2016 18:09 UTCDoug Schonewald

Toby,

I haven't met you but I've seen you post on other venues. You can geek out on Washington mineral photos by going to photos/search photos and then type in 'from Washington, USA'. You can refine that search by typing in 'from (county name i.e. King Co., NOTE: county names must be typed in exactly like that since that is the hierarchy that is used in Mindat)) Washington, USA and it will give you only photos of King County minerals.

Much of the state is unexplored but you will be surprised at what you find. Remember also that most minerals are best viewed using a microscope. I've had quite a few people that are completely uninterested when they find out the crystals are very small. It is understandable. You can PM me if you're interested in doing some collecting in the Columbia Basin (east of the Cascade Crest).

27th Sep 2016 18:13 UTCAustin

Awesome,

I am also a Washington mineral collector and am surprised to see anything remotely related to Washington on mindat.

There are a lot of knowledgeable people in the state of Washington. The best and definitive guide to field collecting in Washington is Bart Cannon's Minerals of Washington and if your interested in minerals please think about going to the pacific northwest friends of mineralogy symposium in October 14 -17 located in Kelso, Washington.

Cheers

27th Sep 2016 19:57 UTCBob Harman

Malachite and azurite. Found in about 1974 just off a remote logging road North of the town of Newport in Pend Oreille County on the Washington - Idaho border. These were easily collected. If I had gone back there and seriously collected, I am sure I would have found more impressive specimens; maybe someone has better examples from this remote unnamed locality. CHEERS.....BOB

27th Sep 2016 21:39 UTCToby Seim

Doug- Thanks for the help, i'll definitely talk to you more regarding Columbia Basin.

Austin- Thanks for the help.

Bob- Great finds, i wonder how the access to that locale is now... Many old logging roads are overgrown now and collectors have to hike miles opposed to driving right up to the spot like in the past.

27th Sep 2016 21:44 UTCToby Seim

Here's a classic King County Epidote crystal.

28th Sep 2016 05:36 UTCDouglas Merson 🌟 Expert

Some of best zeolite localities are on private timberland and access is prohibited or very limited. Wyerhauser prohibits collecting even where other access is allowed.

28th Sep 2016 15:25 UTCDoug Schonewald

Doug is correct.

I addition to Weyerhaeuser, most other private timber company landowners (Plum Creek, Boise Cascade, etc.) are the same and almost all require a permit IF they allow collecting at all.

Some of the best granitic plutons in the Northern Cascades are inside a National Park where no collecting is allowed.

The best granitic pluton in the Columbia Basin is largely inside either a state park or National Recreation area where no collecting is allowed. Large tracts of land are also set aside within Native American Reservations (especially in eastern Washington) and are not open to collecting without a permit (which is nigh-to-impossible to acquire).

The Spokane Batholith is also mostly inside a state park and closed to collectors.

Still, there are ample areas of Federal Lands that are open to collecting. Just be sure of where you are and whether collecting is allowed. There is a GPS landownership APP for phones that I highly recommend ALL collectors have. It can keep you out of trouble.

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