Where to Find Carnotite in Utah

Carnotite is the lemon-yellow uranium-vanadium ore mineral that drove Utah's uranium boom of the 1950s. Most occurrences are in the Salt Wash member of the Morrison Formation, with concentrations in the Uravan mineral belt extending into San Juan and Grand counties. The Lisbon Valley, White Canyon, and Henry Mountains districts produced carnotite as powdery coatings, channel-fill ore, and replacements after fossilized wood. The Cane Creek anticline near Moab carries carnotite alongside copper minerals in sandstone. Carnotite is radioactive, and specimens should be stored ventilated and never displayed in a closed living space. A Geiger counter is useful for both finding and grading material.

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

Standout carnotite spots in Utah

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

Best counties for carnotite in Utah

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

Every carnotite spot we track in Utah

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Yellow Canary Uranium DepositRed Creek Road	Daggett County	Azurite Bornite Brochantite Carnotite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Gold Hematite +2 more	40.9125, -109.2394	Public
Cedar Mountain areaGreen River Cutoff	Emery County	Agate Anhydrite Carnotite Chalcedony Jasper Gypsum Uraninite	39.1599, -110.6158	Public
San Rafael RiverHatts Ranch Road	Emery County	Agate Anhydrite Carnotite Chalcedony Gypsum Jasper Selenite Sulfur	38.9018, -110.3749	Public
San Rafael Swell	Emery County	Agatized Wood Amethyst Carnotite Petrified Wood Agate Chalcedony Chert Petrified Dinosaur Bone +1 more	38.9221, -110.5309	Public
South Temple WashWild Horse Canyon	Emery County	Autunite Carnotite Corvusite Uvanite	38.6459, -110.6671	Public
Table Mountain	Emery County	Carnotite	38.5369, -111.0967	Permission
Temple MountainBLM 849	Emery County	Ankerite Carnotite Dolomite Galena Pyrite Tetrahedrite Uraninite	38.6887, -110.6816	Public
WoodsideDinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway	Emery County	Agate Carnotite Chalcedony Chert Petrified Dinosaur Bone Jasper Silicified Wood	39.2016, -110.3346	Public
Henry Mountains	Garfield County	Carnotite Bentorite	38.0674, -110.7933	Public
Sevenmile CanyonCircle-O	Grand County	Bornite Carnotite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Pyrite Uraninite	38.6669, -109.6398	Permission
Thompson SpringsCR 146	Grand County	Agate Agatized Clams Anhydrite Carnotite Gypsum Jasper Jasperized Dinosaur Bone Petrified Wood	38.8657, -109.7045	Public
Cedar CanyonCedar Canyon Road	Iron County	Anhydrite Carnotite Gypsum Selenite	37.5945, -112.9124	Public
Spor MountainEagle Rock	Juab County	Fluorite Bertrandite Carnotite Chalcedony Chalcopyrite Hematite Magnetite Pyrite +1 more	39.7588, -113.1974	Public
Topaz Dome Quarry	Juab County	Beryl Calcite Bixbyite Carnelian Carnotite Chalcedony Fluorite Garnet +5 more	39.6966, -113.0987	Permission
Big Indian WashHomestake Spur	San Juan County	Coffinite Doloresite Uraninite Azurite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Cuprite Malachite +6 more	38.2308, -109.2810	Public
Browns HoleBrowns Hole Road	San Juan County	Carnotite	38.3499, -109.3627	Public
Chess RidgeBrumley Loop Trail	San Juan County	Carnotite	38.4744, -109.3235	Public
Indian CanyonWhite Rim Road	San Juan County	Carnotite	38.2921, -109.7809	Permission
La Sal mining districtV2 Road	San Juan County	Azurite Malachite Carnotite Coffinite Pyrite Uraninite	38.3414, -109.0638	Public
La Sal MountainsLa Sal Pass Road	San Juan County	Amethyst Azurite Bornite Carnotite Chalcocite Chrysocolla Limonite Malachite +1 more	38.4282, -109.2585	Public
Montezuma Canyon	San Juan County	Carnotite	37.5337, -109.2316	Public
Monticello mining districtCooley Pass Trail	San Juan County	Anhydrite Carnotite Gypsum Pyrite Chalcopyrite Galena Gold Sphalerite +4 more	37.8313, -109.4670	Public
Henry MountainsDugout Road	Wayne County	Carnotite	38.1725, -110.8201	Public

Carnotite in Utah FAQ

Where can you find carnotite in Utah?+

The mapped spots concentrate in San Juan County, Emery County, and Grand County. Known collecting areas include Lisbon Valley (San Juan County), Henry Mountains district (Garfield County), and White Canyon (San Juan County). Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many carnotite spots are mapped in Utah?+

23 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 carnotite in Utah?+

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. 19 of the 23 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

How do you identify carnotite found in Utah?+

Carnotite is bright canary-yellow and powdery, often staining the host sandstone yellow on weathered faces. Confirm with a portable radiation meter rather than color alone, since limonite and jarosite can mimic it.

More minerals to hunt in Utah

Hunt carnotite in Utah 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.