Where to Find Amethyst in South Carolina

South Carolina has 10 mapped collecting spots that report amethyst, spread across 7 counties. The largest share sits in Greenwood County with 3 spots. 9 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible, and 1 is a fee-dig site.

Standout amethyst spots in South Carolina

Hand-picked from the full list below, with the reason each one earns a trip.

Diamond Hill Mine
Abbeville County
Diamond Hill is the most dependable place in South Carolina to dig the state's official gemstone, amethyst, along with clear and smoky quartz scepters and crystal-lined pockets in the quartz veins.
Bowens River and tributaries
Cherokee County
The Bowen River drainage in northern Cherokee County is South Carolina's most mineral-diverse gem stream, reported to carry corundum in ruby and sapphire colors along with garnet, zircon, topaz, and rutile eroded from the upper Piedmont metamorphic rocks.

Best counties for amethyst in South Carolina

Ranked by the number of mapped amethyst spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.

Greenwood County3 spots
Anderson County2 spots
Abbeville County1 spot
Aiken County1 spot
Cherokee County1 spot
Lexington County1 spot
Williamsburg County1 spot

Every amethyst spot we track in South Carolina

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Diamond Hill MineDiamond Mine Road	Abbeville County	Amethyst Smoky Quartz Beryl Garnet Epidote	34.2703, -82.5738	Public
Clearwater & Herse ValleyWeeping Willow Lane	Aiken County	Amethyst Chalcedony Ilmenite Monazite Quartz Smoky Quartz Rutile Zircon	33.5384, -81.8239	Public
IvaWest Cruette Street	Anderson County	Amethyst	34.3065, -82.6734	Public
IvaWest Front Street	Anderson County	Corundum Garnet Quartz Orange Zircon Brown Zircon Amethyst Golden Beryl	34.3074, -82.6632	Public
Bowens River and tributariesShelby Highway	Cherokee County	Corundum Garnet Sapphire Emerald Quartz Topaz Zircon Amethyst +1 more	35.1646, -81.5789	Public
DonaldsUS 178	Greenwood County	Amethyst	34.3408, -82.2897	Public
SalucaLancaster Road	Greenwood County	Unakite Amethyst	34.2283, -81.9866	Public
Shoals Junction	Greenwood County	Amethyst Quartz	34.3224, -82.3149	Public
ColumbiaCollins Court	Lexington County	Amethyst	34.0785, -81.2393	Public
Diamond Hill MineSouth Williamsburg County Highway	Williamsburg County	Quartz Amethyst Smoky Quartz Citrine	33.6148, -79.9357	Paid / fee

Before you go

Read the amethyst identification guide so you know what a keeper looks like in the field: Amethyst in the encyclopedia.

Amethyst in South Carolina FAQ

Where can you find amethyst in South Carolina?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Greenwood County, Anderson County, and Abbeville County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many amethyst spots are mapped in South Carolina?+

10 spots across 7 counties. The RockHoundR app keeps the same spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, and your saved finds.

Is it legal to collect amethyst in South Carolina?+

Hand collecting of common rocks and minerals in small amounts for personal use is generally allowed on BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are closed to collecting. 9 of the 10 mapped spots here sit on land marked public, and 1 is a fee-dig operation where you pay for access and keep what you find. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find amethyst

More minerals to hunt in South Carolina

Hunt amethyst in South Carolina with the map in your pocket

RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.