Where to Find Tourmaline in the United States
79 mapped tourmaline spots across 12 U.S. states. Tourmaline is a complex boron silicate that comes in nearly every color. Maine and California pegmatites are world-class sources, with Mount Mica and Newry in Maine and the Pala district in California producing legendary specimens.
Map showing where to find tourmaline across the United States, with 79 mapped spots
Top states for tourmaline
States ranked by number of tourmaline spots in our database. States in bold link to a focused tourmaline-in-state list.
- Tourmaline in North Carolina14 spots
- Tourmaline in Georgia7 spots
- Tourmaline in Utah6 spots
- Tourmaline in Alabama5 spots
- Tourmaline in South Carolina5 spots
- Tourmaline in Virginia5 spots
- Tourmaline in New Jersey4 spots
- Tourmaline in Connecticut3 spots
- Tourmaline in Maryland3 spots
- Tourmaline in Pennsylvania3 spots
- Tourmaline in South Dakota3 spots
- Tourmaline in Vermont3 spots
Every tourmaline spot we track
Sorted by state and county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.
Tourmaline rockhounding FAQ
Where is the best place to find tourmaline in the U.S.?+
North Carolina, Georgia, Utah have the highest concentrations of tourmaline in this list. Each state's quality and access varies — open the linked state pages for a detailed view.
How many tourmaline rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+
79 mapped spots across 12 states. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.
Can I legally collect tourmaline on public land?+
Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals like tourmaline is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always check with the managing agency before a trip.
How do I identify tourmaline in the field?+
Field identification of tourmaline comes down to color, hardness, fracture, and luster. The RockHoundR app links to geology details for each spot to help narrow down what you might be picking up.
Hunt tourmaline on the map
Open RockHoundR to see these spots on a real map with public land overlays and trip-planning details.
