Red Rover mine: Chalcocite & Tetrahedrite Rockhounding in Maricopa County, Arizona
Updated June 2026
Red Rover is a compact Cave Creek district copper-silver stop, with Mindat listing chalcocite and tetrahedrite-group minerals and Western Mining History tying the mine to copper, silver, and gold. It is notable because those sulfide minerals give the Maricopa County list a real ore-mineral locality, not just agate, jasper, and quartz float. Reported finds include chalcocite, tetrahedrite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Red Rover mine photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Red Rover mine in Maricopa County, Arizona
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Maricopa County
- State
- Arizona
- Nearest road
- Walnut Spring Canyon Road
- Coordinates
- 34.01099, -111.84517
Geology at Red Rover mine
This spot sits on metavolcanic rocks, mapped as metavolcanic that formed roughly 1800 to 1600 million years ago. Copper minerals such as malachite and chrysocolla typically show up where mineralized rock like this has weathered and oxidized near old workings.
- Mapped unit
- metavolcanic rocks
- Age
- 1800–1600 Ma (Paleoproterozoic)
- Rock types
- metavolcanic
- Elevation
- 4,220 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 Red Rover mine
Best months: October to May. Typical highs run 97°F in midsummer and 59°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 36°F. Summer heat here is intense, so carry more water than you think you need and work the early morning.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, CAREFREE station (14 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Land & collecting status
Generally open to casual rockhounding
Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.
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.
State guidance last verified:
- BLM Arizona — Recreational Mineral Collecting
- Arizona Geological Survey
- Arizona State Land Department recreation permits
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Red Rover mine
Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Red Rover mine.
- Area S of Horseshoe DamMaricopa County, Arizona · 8 mi awayAgate
- Quartz outcrop off of jeep roadMaricopa County, Arizona · 8 mi awayNodules, Thundereggs
- Seven Springs-Bloody Basin RoadYavapai County, Arizona · 9 mi awayAgate, Jasper
- 2 mi. S of road on way to Bartlett ReservoirMaricopa County, Arizona · 13 mi awayFluorite
- Area around Go John MineMaricopa County, Arizona · 15 mi awayGold, Silver, Copper
- Hill to W of Cave CreekMaricopa County, Arizona · 16 mi awayRed Jasper
- New River Area StreamsMaricopa County, Arizona · 16 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Jasper
- Rock Springs Digging AreaYavapai County, Arizona · 17 mi awayCopper
Red Rover mine FAQ
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