Rockhounding in Socorro County

I’ll start this one out with two big disclaimers.

First of all, I will be intentionally vague about locations so as to not give away my favorite rockhounding spots. A big part of the fun is exploring and discovering. There are many online sources and at least a couple of guidebooks that can help point the way I have a copy of Stephen M. Voynick’s “New Mexico Rockhounding” guidebook from 1997. A Falcon Guide from 2021 has a similar title, “Rockhounding New Mexico.” Do a little research ahead of time, then go out and have fun searching. You’re on your own for navigating.

Second, if you decide to go out rockhounding, it’s up to you to find out about the land access and rules for collecting in different locations. There’s a lot of public land in the county, but there is also plenty of private land. You’re allowed to surface collect for personal, noncommercial use (you cannot sell it) on a lot of federal lands without a permit, but check with the Bureau of Land Management or National Forest Service for limits and specifics. Beyond a certain point, meaning if you collect too much or disrupt the surface too much, it becomes mining and a claim must be filed.

That being said, Socorro County has all sorts of cool rocks and minerals that are great for home collections. A few very lucky finds could be considered precious, several types could fit in the semi-precious category, but many will simply be pretty rocks that look good on a shelf or decorating a garden. Sometimes, it’s also nice to just see the beautiful rocks in situ and leave them there.

Fossils–The Quebradas area out east of the Rio Grande has limestone layers that are rich in marine fossils such as bivalve shells and crinoid stems. You can collect common fossils such as those, but you cannot collect vertebrate fossils or uncommon invertebrate or plant fossils in New Mexico.

Quartz, chalcedony, agate, and jasper–Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust. Along with its cryptocrystalline and aggregate varieties, it is probably the most collected mineral group. The volcanic mountains west of the Rio Grande, such as the Chupadera Mountains, are good rockhounding zones for these minerals.

Petrified wood–This can fit in either of the above two categories as well because petrified wood pieces are fossils that often have undergone replacement by quartz group minerals. Colorful pieces with the wood texture and grain are great garden rocks. One of the guidebooks mentions one location for finding this in Socorro County, and there are more. Typically, the limit for collecting is 25 pounds, but still check for the specific location you hope to visit.

Other types–Calcite, flourite, chrysocolla, gypsum, manganese, barite, galena, various iron ores, and so many more can be found around here. The list of minerals to be found in this county is extensive.

Old mine dumps–Socorro has a rich and extensive mining history. There are mines everywhere, with a few that are still active. If there is no longer a claim on a mine, you can look around in the tailing piles. All sorts of neat pieces that were already dug out by miners looking for something else long ago can be found. Claims are filed with the county and land manager, such as the BLM, so check with them. Also, entering old mine holes is sketchy, dangerous and not recommended.

To see many amazing pieces, check out the Mineral Museum in the NM Bureau of Geology building located on the Tech campus to see specimens from Socorro County, elsewhere in New Mexico, as well as from all over the world.