Rocks, Gems, and Fossils in Texas
Day Trips, Family Fun, Nature, RV Parks April 26th, 2007Interested in rock-gem-fossil-artifact hunting in Texas? Download Texas Rocks and Fossils (PDF) from Texas Department of Highway Department.
Here are some basic rules to keep your collecting Texas friendly:
- you may collect from the surface of roadside parks;
- you may collect from stream and river beds;
- you may not collect on private property without permission; and
- you may not collect in State and National Parks.
Texas has an official gem, the Texas topaz. Two ranches in Mason County (central Texas) offer public topaz hunting.
- Garner Seaquist Ranch charges $15 per person per day. Children, ages 7-12 are $5 per day and children under 7 are free. Contact Mike Seaquist 325/347-5413.
- Lindsay Ranch-Take US 87 north from the Mason Courthouse 4 miles. Look for sign for Lindsay Ranch Road on your left. Follow the signs to the house. Call first. 325/347-4052.
Mason County Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 187, Mason, TX 76856
Website: http://www.masontxcoc.com
Email: masontexas@verizon.net
Phone: 325 347 5758
The Woodward Ranch near Alpine is home to the very rare Red Plume agate. The ranch is located in the heart of the northern extreme of the Chihuahuan Desert at about 5000 feet, so its cool and breezy. There is tent camping, cabins and 14 easily accessible RV sites that include water, electricity and sewer services.
Woodward Ranch
HC 65 Box 40
Alpine, TX 79830
Website: http://www.woodwardranch.net/
Email: paradiseranch5@hotmail.com
Phone: 432 364 2271
The Chihuahuan Desert Gem & Mineral Club’s Gem & Mineral Show is held every 3rd weekend in April.
Tags:
July 25th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Hi my husbands family owns a large peice of porperty in Mason county and when we go up for hunting season we intend to try a little rock hounding for some topaz. I am having trouble finding photos of what it looks like raw and any tips on where the bes places to look are. On the property they have a calechie pit and stream running through and a site where indians once lived( lots of arrow head found) I’m just looking for alittle push in the right direction we’ll only be there for about two days. Hunting in the morning and evening and rock hounding in the afternoon
July 25th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Here is a picture of one that has not been cut:
http://www.mtlilygems.com/Minerals/txtpz.html
Here is more information from the Mason website:
Topaz, the state gem of Texas, is found within the borders of the state only in Mason County. It occurs in granite outcroppings principally in the Streeter, Grit, and Katemcy areas. It is usually found in streambeds and ravines but occasionally can be located atop the ground.
Topaz resembles quartz and ranges in color from clear to brown to yellow to sky blue. The blue stones are especially beautiful when faceted in the Lone Star cut.
Items you will need with which to hunt topaz are a pick and shovel and a wire screen with about ¼ inch mesh. Small pieces of topaz can sometimes be found by sifting dirt through the screen. A nice-to-have but optional item is a chemical called bromoform. Topaz will sink in this chemical, whereas the less dense quartz it so resembles will float. WARNING: bromoform is highly toxic and should be handled with care, and kept away from children
As much as I would love to hunt for Texas Topaz, I have never made it to Mason to do it. If you have room for two more on your rock hounding trip, let me know. I would love to “dig in”. Good luck