Where to Find Pyrite in Tennessee

Tennessee has 10 mapped collecting spots that report pyrite, spread across 8 counties. The largest share sits in Fentress County with 2 spots. 9 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible.

Standout pyrite spots in Tennessee

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

Ducktown
Polk County
Ducktown sits on the Copper Basin, a Precambrian massive-sulfide deposit that made it one of the most important copper districts in the Southeast.
Ben Lomond Mountain
Warren County
Ben Lomond Mountain lies in the Middle Tennessee geode belt along the Highland Rim, where quartz geodes are lined with calcite, celestite, dolomite, marcasite, and pyrite.

Best counties for pyrite in Tennessee

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

Fentress County2 spots
Polk County2 spots
Cannon County1 spot
Carter County1 spot
Hawkins County1 spot
Marion County1 spot
Overton County1 spot
Warren County1 spot

Every pyrite spot we track in Tennessee

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Cannon CountyGassaway Road	Cannon County	Calcite Fluorite Geode Goethite Limonite Pyrite Celestite	35.8298, -86.0590	Public
Stony CreekWillow Springs Road	Carter County	Pyrite Pyrolusite	36.3732, -82.1549	Public
Boatland	Fentress County	Calcite Celestite Dolomite Geode Marcasite Pyrite	36.4109, -85.0446	Public
Carpenter Hollow and Buffalo CoveGlenobey Road	Fentress County	Calcite Celestite Dolomite Geode Marcasite Pyrite	36.3798, -84.9861	Public
GreeneHipshire Hollow Road	Hawkins County	Calcite Celestite Dolomite Fluorite Golden Jasper Pyrite Quartz Barite +2 more	36.4245, -82.9167	Public
Marion CountyDancing Fern Road	Marion County	Barite Fluorite Galena Pyrite Selenite	35.1470, -85.5968	Public
LivingstonCelina Highway	Overton County	Calcite Celestite Dolomite Geode Marcasite Pyrite	36.4510, -85.3557	Public
CopperhillGrassy Creek Road	Polk County	Azurite Chalcopyrite Garnet Gold Pyrite Malachite Quartz Staurolite +4 more	35.0046, -84.3993	Public
DucktownStansbury Mountain Road	Polk County	Azurite Chalcopyrite Garnet Gold Pyrite Malachite Quartz Staurolite +4 more	35.0325, -84.3655	Public
Ben Lomond Mountain	Warren County	Calcite Celestite Dolomite Geode Marcasite Pyrite	35.6284, -85.7732	Permission

Before you go

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

Pyrite in Tennessee FAQ

Where can you find pyrite in Tennessee?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Fentress County, Polk County, and Cannon County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many pyrite spots are mapped in Tennessee?+

10 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 pyrite in Tennessee?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find pyrite

More minerals to hunt in Tennessee

Hunt pyrite in Tennessee 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.