Emerald Isle Mine: Chrysocolla & Tenorite Rockhounding in Mohave County, Arizona

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Mohave County

State

Arizona

Nearest road

County Highway 125

Coordinates

35.36364, -114.19173

Geology at Emerald Isle Mine

This spot sits on surficial deposits, undivided, mapped as sand, silt, and clay that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.

Mapped unit

surficial deposits, undivided

Age

3 Ma to present (Pleistocene to Holocene)

Rock types

sand, silt, and clay

Elevation

3,670 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 Emerald Isle Mine

Best months: September to May. Typical highs run 98°F in midsummer and 57°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 30°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, KINGMAN AP station (16 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: April 1, 2026

• BLM Arizona — Recreational Mineral Collecting
• Arizona Geological Survey
• Arizona State Land Department recreation permits
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Emerald Isle Mine

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

• ChrysocollaEncyclopedia →
• Tenorite