Victor Mine: Cookeite & Albite Rockhounding in San Diego County, California

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

San Diego County

State

California

Nearest road

Tribal Access Lane

Coordinates

33.26419, -116.93920

Geology at Victor Mine

This spot sits on granitic rocks, unit 2 (Peninsular Ranges), mapped as tonalite that formed roughly 175 to 66 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, unit 2 (Peninsular Ranges)

Age

175–66 Ma (Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous)

Rock types

tonalite

Elevation

1,290 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 Victor Mine

Best months: October to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 68°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 38°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, VALLEY CTR 1N station (6 mi away).

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

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 California — Recreational mineral collecting
• California Geological Survey
• CDFW — Suction Dredge Mining Permit Program
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Victor Mine

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

• Cookeite
• AlbiteEncyclopedia →
• Bismuth
• LepidoliteEncyclopedia →
• Orthoclase