Collecting Tips:

Topaz Mountain is the Southern most portion of Thomas Range. It is characterized by light gray to white rhyolite. The south eastern most point is Topaz Mountain Amphitheater (also know as Topaz Valley or the cove). This is the main and easiest accessible collecting area of the range. Topaz Valley was set aside by the B.L.M. Department of the Interior as a rockhound area. Despite the rumors of it being completely picked over, with hard work and a lot of patience you are often rewarded with some fine clear or sherry colored topaz.

The topaz of topaz mountain fades to colorless when exposed to heat and radiation (the Sun). So, to find the prized sherry colored topaz you have to resort to hard labor. I suggest for the casual collector to bring a 1/4" screen, rock hammer, and screwdriver. Screen any dirt in washes and around any vegetation. You could easily screen hundreds of clear topaz and some sherry in a days work. Also find any clear topaz on the surface and pry them out with a screwdriver or rock hammer.

If your an avid collector that likes to break up rock and get down to business, I suggest that you bring the following: a heavy hammer (3 lbs +), rock hammer, large chisels (3/4"+),screwdriver, and rock bag.. Attack the mountain by finding soft spots in the rock and hoping to find any cavities. Be aware of signs that may help you. Such as Vegetation in Rhyolite, fracture seams, or open cavities are all good signs you are in a promising area. Be sure to follow the fracture seam, usually sparked off by brownish colored altered hematite. Plugs and frothy rock (both very mineralized Rhyolite) are very good signs your in a cavity. If you follow the signs and be very patient you should be rewarded with many fine sherry colored topaz, and other beautiful minerals. See below for areas of greatest concentration for all the minerals.

Thomas Range Adventure

Recently I visited some of the premier sites in the Thomas Range. So come on and take an adventure with me.

Pictures:

Pictures at Topaz Valley
Pictures of Topaz Valley	Personal Pictures	Mineral Specimens

Maps:

Maps to Topaz Mountain

The Topaz "Rocket"...

First pictures ever taken

Come and Visit Topaz Mountain Page's newest and best attraction. So click on the link, "see to believe".

It may take a while to load 288 KB. but it's well worth the wait.

Utah Mineral and Fossils Inc.
Utah Mineral and Fossil Inc. (UMF), formerly T.R. Gem and Minerals, has been collecting and marketing gem, mineral and fossil specimens from Utah and other world wide locations since 1973. One of UMF's specialties is the minerals from the world renowned Thomas Range (also known as Topaz Mountain). We have mined topaz, red beryl, bixbyite, and many other unique mineral specimens from this famous location since the early 70's. Additionally, UMF has acquired some exceptional mineral specimens from other world localities, purchasing them directly from the mine source. WWW.UTAHMIN.COM

Utah Mineral and Fossils Inc.

Utah Mineral and Fossil Inc. (UMF), formerly T.R. Gem and Minerals, has been collecting and marketing gem, mineral and fossil specimens from Utah and other world wide locations since 1973. One of UMF's specialties is the minerals from the world renowned Thomas Range (also known as Topaz Mountain). We have mined topaz, red beryl, bixbyite, and many other unique mineral specimens from this famous location since the early 70's. Additionally, UMF has acquired some exceptional mineral specimens from other world localities, purchasing them directly from the mine source.

WWW.UTAHMIN.COM

Updated!!

MINERAL LOCATIONS, DESCRIPTIONS, & FORMS

The minerals of topaz mountain occur at greatest concentration in certain localized areas.

Areas of greatest concentration

Click on specific minerals for crystal definitions.

Other lesser important minerals found in the area: Quartz, Hematite, Fluorite, Ilmanite, Hyalite Opal.

New 3D Stereo Pairs

New to my web site and fairly new to the Internet are 3D Stereo pairs. The object is to get two images rotated by degree to focus as one image on the screen to get a 3D effect. This is similar to wearing 3D glasses at a movie theater. The only difference in the 3D is that you are looking at beautiful select specimens of minerals from the Thomas Range. If you can't see the 3D effect, I've provided some simple instructions on making a stereo viewer, which is almost fool proof.

3D Stereo Pairs

MORE INFORMATION

LIMITED EDITION

More information on the Book

The UGS (Utah Geological Survey) has an extensive amount of books that can help with Rockhounding at Thomas Range and Utah. Click HERE for more information.

Free for all Linklist - Rockhounding

Come visit my NEW Free For All Rockhounding Linklist, Please add your site or any others pertaining to the selected catagories.

Trilobite Collecting in Utah

Another page I wrote to go along with the Topaz Mountain Page. If your interested in collecting trilobites in Utah visit this page for information.

Artificial Crystal Making

Another page I wrote is for the art of Artificial Crystal Making. If your interested come try it out. It has instructions on making some of these beautiful crystals.

Dugway Geodes

Come collect Dugway Geodes in Utah

Sorry for the dust. Soon I will be adding some new pictures of all the specimens when they come available.

Bob's Rock Shop

Don't miss Bob's Rockshop. His site was a premier site on the Internet, The first Online Rock Shop. He has something for every kind of person interested in any areas of Geology. Pictures, Software, Site Lists, Rock Trader Classified, and his Linklist are just a few things he has to offer. The linklist contains tons of WWW sites for the Rockhound, Geologist, Whatever. So come on and join the Shop!!