Where are the best places to collect minerals in Maine?
Dozens of old feldspar and mica mines are scattered across parts of Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, and especially the southern half of Oxford County. These mines are located in veins of very coarse-grained granite called “pegmatites”. Collectors dig through the piles of waste rock from mining operations, looking for crystals of quartz, garnet, beryl, and tourmaline, along with traces of the rarer minerals sometimes found at these mines. Be sure to heed “No Trespassing” signs and ask permission where required. The Collector’s Guide lists a number of popular collecting sites in Maine. While these sites are believed to be open, access conditions may change overnight, and we can make no guarantees that every listed site will be open. Adventurous collectors will seek new mineral discoveries at construction sites and any other places where freshly exposed rock can be examined. A careful search of geologic and mineralogical literature may encourage you to prospect areas far back in the woods where
