The federal mineral record holds 12,944 entries for Arizona — 7,031 mines that shipped ore, 1,731 prospects that never became mines, 2,648 recorded occurrences. Below it: 6 places where you can legally collect.
Mineral history, not an invitation. This mineral history comes from a federal record of historic mines, prospects, and occurrences. It is not a list of places to collect. Historic mine sites are usually on private land, under active mining claims, or unsafe to enter — and often all three. The places you can actually collect are in the legal-access directory below.
The commodities that drew miners and prospectors to Arizona, by number of historic records:
Copper · 5,239Gold · 5,112Silver · 4,796Lead · 2,937Zinc · 1,602Uranium · 919Manganese · 900Molybdenum · 658
Records from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System, a legacy federal database last revised August 2022 and no longer updated.
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
AZ
fire agatechalcedonyagate
BLM collecting area · Free · Open year-round, but BLM itself notes summer temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, and there is no shade and no water. October-November and March-May are the working season; early morning otherwise.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
AZ
agatejasperpurple chalcedony
Public land, rules apply · Free · Open year-round; October through April is comfortable. Summer highs are severe and the creek can run hard after monsoon storms, so check flows before planning to work the gravel bars.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Crystal Hill Area, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
AZ
quartz crystalsagatechalcedony
Public land, rules apply · Free · Open year-round, but the Kofa country is brutal from May through September. October through April is the season, and the winter Quartzsite show crowd makes January busy.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Diamond Point Crystal Collecting Site
AZ
quartz crystalsdoubly terminated quartzchalcedony
Forest Service collecting area · Free · The Forest Service publishes no seasonal restriction for this site — collecting within the posted rules is allowed year-round. Winter snow can complicate the drive up onto the Rim. Questions go to Tonto National Forest at 602-225-5200.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Dobell Ranch Petrified Wood Dig (Rhonda's Dig Site)
AZ
petrified woodrainbow petrified woodagatized wood
Fee dig · Fee · By appointment only. The operator repeats 'BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, PLEASE CALL FIRST' throughout the site and posts no walk-in hours and no season, so phone (928) 245-9010 before you drive out. Effectively year-round in fair weather, but the ranch is not staffed for drop-ins.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
AZ
fire agatechalcedony rosesagate
BLM collecting area · Free · Year-round on paper; realistically October through April. The last 12 miles are dirt and turn greasy after storms, so check conditions and skip it after rain. There are no facilities of any kind.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
GoldSilverCopperQuartz CrystalsAgatesJasperGeodesGarnetsFluoriteBerylOpalPetrified WoodGemstones
Yes — at places that allow it. This page lists 6 in Arizona: fee digs, designated collecting areas, and official localities, each checked against its source. Everywhere else, legality depends on who owns the land and what rules apply. Before any trip: check land ownership and current mining claims, get permission, respect closures, and never enter old mine workings.
Treat Arizona's historic mines as history, not destinations. Most sit on private land or active mining claims, and old workings are dangerous even to walk. The mineral record on this page tells you what the ground holds — the directory tells you where you are welcome to look for it.