Arizona Rock Hound

Small rounded nodules of black obsidian that weather out of perlite deposits in central Arizona.

Iridescent chalcedony prized for rainbow flashes, found in volcanic regions of southeastern Arizona.

Ancient conifer wood replaced by silica, preserving grain in vivid colors. Collect only on private land with permission.

Bright blue-green copper silicate found in Arizona's copper-mining districts, often mixed with quartz.

Gem-quality olivine weathered from basalt on the San Carlos Apache Reservation — permit required.

Arizona's iconic blue gem from Globe and Kingman. Most historic mines are private — collect only with permission.

Abundant clear-to-smoky quartz and crystalline varieties around Fountain Hills and the McDowell/Tonto high country.

Water-worn microcrystalline quartz pebbles in earthy tones, found in Tonto National Forest desert washes around Fountain Hills after rains.

Arizona's signature metal — native copper and its vivid green (malachite) and blue (azurite) oxide minerals from the Globe-Miami and Ray mining districts.

Historic silver from Tombstone and Bisbee — found in oxidized veins of southeast Arizona's old mining camps, usually with lead and copper.

Arizona's gold country — placer and lode gold from the Wickenburg, Bradshaw, and Prescott districts. Recreational panning is permitted on many public stretches.

Arizona's rarest gem — microscopic impact diamonds formed inside the Canyon Diablo meteorite at Meteor Crater. Not gem-quality, but a genuine Arizona diamond occurrence.