Where to Find Aquamarine in North Carolina

North Carolina aquamarine comes from the Spruce Pine pegmatite belt in Mitchell and Yancey counties, where blue and blue-green beryl crystals occur in feldspar and quartz pockets. The Wiseman mine, Big Crabtree, and the Ray mica mine have all produced gem aquamarine, with crystals ranging from millimeter chips to multi-centimeter prisms. The Hiddenite area in Alexander County occasionally yields aquamarine alongside its more famous emerald. Color saturation is usually pale to medium blue; the deepest stones come from the Spruce Pine pockets. Most North Carolina aquamarine is heavily included; gem-clear cores require careful trimming.

Spot list checked against source data on April 1, 2026.

Standout aquamarine spots in North Carolina

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

Burnsville
Yancey County County
Ray Mine gives North Carolina a rare free public pegmatite locality, with Mindat documenting aquamarine, beryl, amazonite, muscovite, rutile, tourmaline, and other Spruce Pine district minerals. Its strength is the combination of a historically worked mica mine and Forest Service surface-collecting access, provided current closures and mine hazards are respected.

Best counties for aquamarine in North Carolina

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

Every aquamarine spot we track in North Carolina

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Emerald Hollow MineEmerald Hollow Mine Drive	Alexander County	Emerald Aquamarine Sapphire Garnet Smoky Quartz Topaz Amethyst Citrine +3 more	35.9137, -81.0829	Public
Hiddenite (area 2)Duncan Lane	Alexander County	Aquamarine Beryl Quartz Rutile Emerald Hiddenite Calcite Dolomite +2 more	35.9136, -81.0740	Public
South Hardin Mica MineInspiration Way	Ashe County	Aquamarine Golden Beryl Muscovite	36.3705, -81.5067	Public
Walnut Knob MineWhispering Breeze Ridge	Ashe County	Aquamarine	36.3281, -81.6082	Public
South Mountains	Burke County	Aquamarine Beryl Feldspar Quartz	35.5973, -81.6946	Public
Emerald Hollow MineClarence Street	Catawba County	Emerald Amethyst Quartz Aquamarine Hiddenite	35.6720, -81.1089	Paid / fee
EarlRoseborough Road	Cleveland County	Aquamarine Garnet	35.1920, -81.5069	Public
GroverMargrace Road	Cleveland County	Aquamarine	35.2008, -81.4021	Public
ShelbySouth Lafayette Street	Cleveland County	Beryl Aquamarine Emerald Tourmaline	35.2453, -81.5652	Public
Stice Shoal Lake DamPowerhouse Road	Cleveland County	Aquamarine Beryl Emerald Mica Smoky Quartz Tourmaline	35.3987, -81.5460	Public
Elijah Mountain Gem MineBrevard Road	Henderson County	Ruby Sapphire Emerald Quartz Citrine Amethyst Garnet Aventurine +10 more	35.3244, -82.5034	Public
Sheep Knob Mountain	Macon County	Aquamarine	35.2786, -83.3736	Public
BurnsvilleRay Mine Trail	Yancey County	Albite Amazonite Apatite Aquamarine Autunite Beryl Emerald Fluorite +8 more	35.8883, -82.2747	Public

Before you go

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

Aquamarine in North Carolina FAQ

Where can you find aquamarine in North Carolina?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Cleveland County County, Alexander County County, and Ashe County County. Known collecting areas include Wiseman mine (Mitchell County), Big Crabtree (Mitchell County), and Hiddenite area (Alexander County). Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many aquamarine spots are mapped in North Carolina?+

13 spots across 8 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 aquamarine in North 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. 12 of the 13 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 aquamarine

More minerals to hunt in North Carolina

Hunt aquamarine in North 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.