What can be collected on Public Lands?
Rocks and Minerals In general, a person may collect reasonable amounts of gemstones and rocks from public lands for recreational purposes or personal use. If rocks and mineral specimens are collected for sale or commercial use, a permit must be obtained (under provisions of the Minerals Act), from the BLM Field Office involved. In Utah’s West Desert, for instance, administered by the BLM’s Richfield Office, Utah’s rare Topaz Gemstone can be found, and in the BLM’s Salt Lake District, the popular Dugway Geode can be collected, both in “reasonable amounts for recreational purposes or personal use” without obtaining any special permission. Invertebrate Fossils Invertebrate fossils are those without backbones I.e., trilobites, snails, clams, insects, etc. Common invertebrate fossils (those which occur in large numbers throughout a large area) may be collected in reasonable quantities for recreational purposes. Again, no permit is required unless invertebrate fossils are intended for sale o
