My Favorite Finds
Here are a few of my favorite finds — just to give you an idea of what’s out there. Each of these rocks was picked up in Georgia, and when you think about how much natural history is wrapped up in all of it, sitting in the palm of your hand, it’s awe-inspiring. I don't want to nerd out too much. Let's just say that some of this stuff is really, really old.
I have included a map of the general area of where I made each of my favorite finds. I haven't given the exact locations for a couple of reasons. First, some of our finds were made on private property. We received permission to be there, but I never specifically asked any of the owners if I could extend that permission to others, and I would rather err on the side of privacy and respect, especially since property can change hands, and owners can change their minds. Second, looking for rocks can be a lot like hunting for buried treasure. If I told you exactly where to go, it might take some of the fun out of it for you.
Staurolite, Star Bright
Staurolite is just the coolest thing, and it happens to be Georgia's state mineral! Staurolite is particularly abundant in Cherokee, Gilmer, Pickens and Fannin counties. In fact, I have bags of staurolite crystals. All of mine came from Jasper, which is just a stone’s throw (yes, I said it) from Tate, Marble Hill and Ball Ground — all great places to explore. One cool thing about staurolite crystals is that they have a habit of “twinning,” meaning they grow in an X or cross shape. This twinning is what earned the crystals the nickname “Fairy Crosses” (or sometimes “Fairy Stones”), which has an added bit of folklore and mythology around it. You may have to dig around for the crystals, but their distinctive diamond shape makes them simple to identify by touch alone, and when you find one that’s twinned, it’s even more exciting.
Books of Mica
Unable to resist most shiny objects, I have more than my share of mica. Mica can be found all over, but the specimens on the right came from the Warwoman Road area around Pine Mountain. Books of mica can be spotted easily on the ground and in some of the crystal-clear mountain streams and rivers as they reflect sunlight like tiny mirrors. There are lots of little falls and scenic places to visit in the area, making it worth a drive whether you are looking to find rocks or not.
Scores of Agate
The Summerville Crazy Lace Agate pictured at right is mesmerizing, isn't it? There’s so much going on, with the druzy, the lace, the geodic features. As the name suggests, this agate comes from Summerville, Georgia, specifically from a working quarry that graciously allows visitors on Sundays — if you sign a waiver promising not to sue them if injured. Perhaps not coincidentally, acquiring these beautiful pieces involved one of the scariest but funniest experiences I’ve had while rockhounding. My partner was doing his own thing, and I decided to make my way down a nearby hill. When I got to the bottom where the ground leveled out, I took a step…and promptly fell into what turned out to be thick mud and/or clay all the way up to one knee. It was so thick it sucked off my shoe. Thankfully, I was rescued quickly. My shoe was extricated, and my panic soon turned into hysterical laughter. I still laugh thinking about how solid that definitely not hard ground appeared at first. It was a good reminder to pay close attention to my surroundings!
Mountains of Marble
Elberton, Georgia, is renowned for its granite deposits. Did you know there are literal mountains of marble in Tate, Georgia, right up the road from Jasper? You may not be able to get very close to them because they are on the property of the Georgia Marble Company, but there’s still plenty of marble and other cool rocks to be found all over. Seriously, they use fancy marble for gravel in these parts. Where do you think we got the terrazzo slab chunks? It’s a really fun area to explore. Hills beside railroad tracks and bridges are good places to start.
Pocketful of Kyanite Calcite?
On this trip, I kind of made a boo-boo. We had not yet come across any kyanite, but I knew from research it can be found in Rabun County, which happens to be a place we like to visit anyway. Based on historical information and current maps, I thought I had a few promising public spots we could try. Unfortunately, after getting turned around a couple of times looking for a forest road, we inadvertently ended up on someone’s property. Luckily, the owner was sweet when she discovered us wading through her creek, warning us about snakes and inviting us up to her house for iced tea. We actually left thinking we hadn’t found anything at all. It was only later when we got home that we realized we had snagged a honeydew-sized chunk of what we think is blue calcite. It's not kyanite, but we’ll get our pocketful of that one day!
A Bit of Mystery
I just don’t know enough to be fully confident about these. Some of the sandstone pieces I have are wild. The one in the top image reminds me of vertebrae, though I do know enough to know it isn't that. What about the white thing? That mysterious little rock was acquired somewhere around Tate and Jasper. It looks kind of like a brain and kind of like coral, but it is smooth. The last one, possibly chert, came from the same creek in Jasper where we found most of our staurolite. Considering the Native American history of that region, it's reasonable to wonder if this one is an ancient man-made tool. It’s sharp and pointy. It fits perfectly in my hand and seems like it would be great for scraping or poking. Even if it is just a naturally formed rock, it’s a unique and interesting one worth keeping.
