As local Apache legend has it, there was a standoff between Apache warriors and an outfit of the U.S. Cavalry. We have Mexican Fire Agate and Arizona Fire agate. THE 5 CASITAS However, the agate in the area is beautiful. Have any questions? be high. This particular spot is considered to be among the richest areas in the world for this gem. As you see, we have riverbeds and banks to mountain peaks. Saddle Mountain Fire Agate is a unique and fascinating geological formation that has captivated the attention of geologists, mineral collectors, and gem enthusiasts alike. Doug Ducey and other fire officials warned in mid-March about the likelihood of severe 2021 wildfires, saying that this season was expected to be similar to last year's one of Arizona's worst wildfire seasons in a decade due toan ongoing drought, lack of rain and vegetation overgrowth. 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. pack accordingly. . The Grand Canyon state is also a primary producer for yet another of precious Arizona gemstones commonly known by the many. Its even better if youre an amateur rock collector because youre always guaranteed to collect a few gems, even along some roadways. I did some fire agate collecting out in the Saddle mountain area about year ago. Gila, New Mexico 88038, 2022 Casitas de Gila, Inc. Updated January 2022, MENU: If you've never done any rock collecting . In this photo weathered and disintegrating blocks of andesite comprise the foreground on left, and the high promontories on far right horizon, and rhyolite welded tuff constitutes the cliffs in middle distant horizon. Watch. Note also the numerous small white rocks in the foreground. Fire agate is a relatively new gemstone, only identified and formally recognized in the 1930s. In the New Mexico-Arizona border country, chalcedony is typically found in shades of translucent white to pink and light grays and blues. Fire Agates . In addition to fire agate, geodes and quartz can also be found scattered amongst the desert at this site. stones; the BLM simply asks that you help prevent hazardous It was formed by water peculating into the rock from from hot geysers carrying minerals in solution which then formed the layers of chalcedony in cracks and voids in the matrix rock. 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 not a good idea to hike there yourself! Cuesta Fire Agate Mine - Arizona Cuesta Fire Agate mine is a Desert Dig. area is open and accessible year-round, but summer temperatures can 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. The wide-open pits are littered with piles of malachite, azurite, among other copper ores. Free shipping for many products! It is also permissible to dig for the Create a password that only you will remember. normally suitable for passenger cars. I live closest to the Saddle mountain location, but I know there are several more listed in the rockhounding books ( most of them over 3 hours away) has anyone been to Saddle mountain and found anything decent? Rockhounding Reports, Locations, Trips and Shows, forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/57708/surface-collecting-west-phoenix. Arizona is one of the places that offers world class opportunity to see and collect this brilliant gemstone. The gold can be found around a wide region and in many locations. Take it slow. A second interesting area in the eastern Arizona outdoors for PLUS!!! It is characterized by dazzling arrays of colors in various patterns of depth into the stone. There are also Fire Agate stones that are full colored but need direct lighting to see their vibrance. BIRD LIST If course Lol !! Information about this location can be found at the BLM's Black Hills information page.Further instruction can be found at the Travel Channel's Treasure Wiki Arizona Page.Fire agate and chalcedony can be found here. Agates can be found all around the world, in any location with past or present volcanic activity. Jasper, Agate, Quartz, Fluorite, and even geodes are among the rocks and minerals to be discovered. Turn north on forest road 64, which is approximately 12-13 miles east of town and just before the development of Kohls ranch. Here, on the lower slopes well below the ridge east of the parking lot an abundance of Prickly Pear Cactus indicates the presence of an increased percentage of fine sediment and mineral soil plus accompanying retention of ground moisture. east from Safford, then turn left (north) onto Highway 191 at the Near the town of Safford, Arizona lies your ticket to finding fire agate, a brilliant gemstone found only in the southwest. It should be noted that this region now seems to have lately been heavily expanded; therefore, a number of these sites might no longer be suitable or available. Keep an eye out for brown and orange colored chalcedony everywhere from the paved street to the foot of the mountain. Two rockhound areas offer world-class fire agate collecting. Mar 19, 2013 - One of my favorite spots to find fire agate chips and pieces of fire agate. If you don't have the tools to dig, Don's willing to let you use some of his tools for a minimal cost. Wyoming and Montana (Yellowstone National Park, USA): Scenic agate, Wyoming iris agate. With a new mine in progress as we speak, the Resolution Copper Mine. info@casitasdegila.com, Michael & Becky O'Connor, Owners Looking for a fun and educational outdoor activity? found on the BLM website at safford-.az.blm.gov. If you want to go rockhounding, the Tucson area is a fantastic place to go. 2 were here. This National Park offers an unsurpassed viewing opportunity, while the collection of specimens is strictly prohibited. experience and understanding of the quarry counts! For the next 5.6 miles the road winds through a Ponderosa-shaded mountain roadway within the Apache National Forest before reaching an amazing overlook and parking area at the edge of a major topographic, physiographic, geologic, biologic, and ecologic boundary that marks the abrupt transition from the southwestern extent of the High Chihuahuan Desert of the Mogollon-Datil Volcanic Field into the eastern edge of the High Sonoran Desert of the Basin and Range Province. Fun half-day adventure for serious rockhounds seeking fire agates and other volcanic rocks. 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 andesite flow rock is the host rock for the fire-agate and chalcedony which, as explained above, forms over time through secondary deposition from hydrothermal waters containing colloidal silica and iron oxide colloids that slowly fill or are injected into cavities such as gas bubbles, irregular shaped vugs, and thin veins within the andesite flow deposits. Free shipping. Determining the Transparency of Your Sample. NEWS Does anyone have suggestions for places to go or stores to drop in on? Rockhounders visiting this site can stumble upon opalite, agates, pastelite, patterned jasper, apache tears, and other specimens of interest. A containment date of July 12 was given on July 10. Are some areas better to look than others? Every winter in Tucson, Arizona, exhibitors from all over the world come together to show off their collections of rocks, gemstones and minerals at theTucson Gem And Mineral Show. 1. It offers Arizona is proud to contain the biggest mine of this precious gemstone in the world, peridot. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Like other chalcedony quartz gemstones, fire agate has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale; a specific gravity of 2.59 to 2.67; and a refractive index of 1.530 to 1.540.It has no cleavage and can be identified by its silicon dioxide composition. Wick Communications. Hi fellow rockhounds! There is even a kiosk with a visual guide to many species of fossils that can be found at the site. Sources. This list does not include prescribed burns. Or Compound? Theres a reason that one of the largest gem and mineral shows in the world is held in Arizona. Saddle Mountain, Arizona, Fire Agate Mineral Location Page: This popular outdoor recreation and fire agate rockhounding area is located outside of Phoenix, Arizona. All rights reserved. Such a chakra can be found at the base of the spine. any rock collecting, gemstone hunting or have just thought about Round Mountain Rockhound Area is a prime collecting spot for fire agates, an uncommon semi-precious gem found only in Mexico, California and Arizona. Its an excellent tour. The site is open for digging by the public without fees or permits. And stay tuned to the very end for some up-close photos of my finds. These veins of turquoise often break the surface and can be found by rockhounds in the low desert to mid elevation ranges in several areas across the state. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Arizona is a worldwide provider for well known gemstones and minerals even in the commercial industry. Arizona, The Grand Canyon State, is obviously no stranger to rocks and gemstones. The clear purple gemstone mined from this specific mine is characterized by its unique red flash when observed through light. We spent 3 days here, and enjoyed the solitude. State Mineral. 70 about 40 miles to Duncan, continuing through town and about 12 Some of the early pioneers in fire agate mining at Deer . Translation of BLM wordage: the big pieces have already been picked up by somebody else before you got here. But dont be put off: there are still tons of collectable material out there somewhere! 50 Casita Flats Rd PO Box 325 Post by LarryS onFeb 2, 2014 at 10:28am. highway is a Round Mountain sign and the start of a road that loops The mine must have been known to early Native Americans, asamethyst arrowheadshave been found. Location Type: Public Access Details: This is land governed by BLM (Bureau of Land Management - government). Safford Field Office 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. @wildlandfireAZ Twitter List (#AZFire) ADEQ Wildfire Smoke Forecasts. Here are the remaining fire agate properties: Mohs hardness: 6-7. And in that respect, rockhounding is much like fishing:. The Cave Creek region, merely northeast of Phoenix, does have some of the finest rockhounding youll encounter in a limited region in Arizona. The desert regions of Arizona, southern California, and central Mexico are the only areas of the world where fire agate is known to occur. These are pieces of white chalcedony that also become concentrated on the lower slopes through the breakdown of the andesite bedrock. The five-mile road loops around the hill and is Fire agate Clifton, Arizona, is a little town northeast of Tucson in proximity to the New Mexico border with promising rockhounding prospects. 711 14th Avenue collectors. William Ascarza A scenic drive takes rock and mineral collectors to the Black Hills cinder mine about 18 miles north of Safford. The mine has changed owners and the new ouners are continuing the operation as before. SanDomingo Wash Placer gold The elevation is 2,799 feet, with the primary mineral being sand and gravel and the tertiary being platinum. Mountain, a small hill at the center of the rockhounding area. The fire agate and chalcedony of the Southern New MexicoArizona border area is formed when low pressure and low temperature epithermal hydrothermal waters (50-200C / 122-392F) carrying colloidal SiO2 and iron oxides are injected into cavities in volcanic rocks such as gas bubbles in flow rocks, irregular-shaped vug fillings, or along fault or bedding plane fractures. Or will a further away location be better? Translucency, patterns of color, or moss-like inclusions may distinguish this stone from other forms of chalcedony. If you see pieces with the white coating over what looks like color keep them because oftentimes the fire is hiding beneath the thin layer of chalcedony. Round Mountain Rockhound Area is a prime collecting spot for fire agates, an uncommon semi-precious gem found only in Mexico, California and Arizona. The fire agate from Deer Creek Arizona ranks high on the list of desired collected gemstones, mineral specimens, and lapidary gemstone cutting material. 2022 fires with or near full containment. The miners walk nine miles in total to and from work and reside there for a few weeks at a time. For more information or to schedule a guided tour please contact Doug (928) 215-9912 or visit www.rockabuyrocksandgifts.com. At this BLM site, camping is allowed, though four wheel drive is recommended and no real amenities exist. Known so far only from specific locations in central and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States (New Mexico, Arizona, and California) is Fire Agate, a variety of chalcedony. Look at collecting Fire Agate from the prospective of how it formed. Rafael Fire: 78,065 acres. 32.6712N 110.2709W. removal, no restroom facilities. The geology of the Black Hills Area is not very complex. If you like to have a physical book in hand (like when theres no cell service), heres a few popular options: Rockhounding Arizona: A Guide To 75 Of The States Best Rockhounding Sites, Southwest Treasure Hunters Gem and Mineral Guide. Most specimens are found within the top two feet of ground. 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. Phoenix and the surrounding areas offer a wealth of opportunities for rockhounds of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned experts. this type of camping. Location 1 Aliquots. This is a well labeled site off of highway 260 approximately 12-13 miles east from the town of Payson, AZ. Other prominent agate-producing states include Minas Gerais, Gois, Par, Piau, Paraba, and the Tocantins. another 10.5 miles and turn left onto the dirt road near milepost Looking southwest across High Sonoran Desert from the overlook on State Road 78, 5.6 miles into Arizona from the New Mexico-Arizona border. Welcome Guest. An astounding type of chalcedony, fire agate is a semi-precious gemstone found only in northern Mexico and the southwest United States. Fire Agate. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. A lock ( A unique and cultural rock of the state of Arizona is called the Apache Tear. Since the clay and finest rock particles are selectively carried furthest away by the periodic flash flood runoff from the source bedrock upslope, a concentration or lag deposit of the larger rock fragments and, of most interest to rockhounds, the physically and chemically inert pieces of chalcedony and fire agate, accumulates over the ground surface following each successive flash flood coming off the surrounding the uplands.