Bob Lee Mine: Garnet Rockhounding in Clay County, Alabama

Quick details

Access

Check locally

County

Clay County

State

Alabama

Nearest road

Caldwell Road

Coordinates

33.33587, -85.87145

Geology at Bob Lee Mine

This spot sits on Ketchepedrakee Amphibolite, mapped as amphibolite that formed roughly 4600 to 250 million years ago. Metamorphic rock like this is where garnet, staurolite, and kyanite typically grow as the rock recrystallizes under heat and pressure.

Mapped unit

Ketchepedrakee Amphibolite

Age

4600–250 Ma (Precambrian to Paleozoic)

Rock types

amphibolite

Elevation

1,170 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Best time to visit Bob Lee Mine

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 54°F in winter to 89°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ASHLAND 3 ENE station (6 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Confirm rules before collecting

Land status here is not confirmed. Verify with the managing agency before collecting — federal, state, and tribal rules differ.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at Bob Lee Mine

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

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