Golden Gem & Vanderbilt Mines: Galena & Pyrite Rockhounding in Mohave County, Arizona

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Mohave County

State

Arizona

Nearest road

Cerbat Road

Coordinates

35.30493, -114.13601

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

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.

Access note: BLM records active mining claims in this area. Collecting from inside an active claim needs the claim holder's permission.

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.

Best time to visit Golden Gem & Vanderbilt Mines

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: September to May. Typical highs run 96°F in midsummer and 55°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 29°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 (12 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Golden Gem & Vanderbilt Mines

This spot sits on granitic rocks, mapped as granite, granodiorite, and tonalite that formed roughly 1800 to 1600 million years ago. Plutonic rock like this weathers slowly into grus and boulders, and the most productive collecting is typically in weathered zones and drainages.

Mapped unit

granitic rocks

Age

1800–1600 Ma (Paleoproterozoic)

Rock types

granite, granodiorite, and tonalite

Elevation

4,060 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.

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