Where to Find Tourmaline in North Carolina
14 mapped tourmaline rockhounding spots in North Carolina, across 12 counties. Tourmaline is a complex boron silicate that comes in nearly every color. North Carolina has the deepest gem-mining tradition on the East Coast.
Map of 14 tourmaline rockhounding spots in North Carolina
Tourmaline by county in North Carolina
Counties ranked by number of tourmaline spots in our database.
Every tourmaline spot in North Carolina
Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps. Click a row for details.
Tourmaline in North Carolina FAQ
Where can I find tourmaline in North Carolina?+
RockHoundR tracks 14 tourmaline spots in North Carolina, spread across 12 counties. The strongest concentration is in Cleveland County.
Is collecting tourmaline legal in North Carolina?+
Casual hand collection of common rocks and minerals like tourmaline is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land in North Carolina, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always confirm rules before a trip.
What is the best tourmaline location in North Carolina?+
Cleveland County has the most tourmaline spots in our database for North Carolina. The full county breakdown is below — different counties produce different qualities and varieties.
Other states for tourmaline
Other minerals to find in North Carolina
- Quartz in North Carolina54
- Garnet in North Carolina43
- Amethyst in North Carolina20
- Gold in North Carolina20
- Corundum in North Carolina18
- Rutile in North Carolina17
- Beryl in North Carolina14
- Kyanite in North Carolina14
- Sapphire in North Carolina14
- Agate in North Carolina13
- Aquamarine in North Carolina13
- Pyrite in North Carolina13
Hunt tourmaline in North Carolina on the map
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