Gillette Quarry: Amazonite & Aquamarine Rockhounding in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region

State

Connecticut

Nearest road

Injun Hollow Road

Postcode

06424

Coordinates

41.49258, -72.51123

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.

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 Gillette Quarry

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 84°F in midsummer and 37°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 19°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MERIDEN MARKHAM MUNI AP station (16 mi away).

Geology at Gillette Quarry

This spot sits on Collins Hill Formation, mapped as schist that formed roughly 470 to 445 million years ago. Metamorphic terrain like this typically carries quartz veins and sweats, and weathered crystals tend to end up in the soils and streams below.

Mapped unit

Collins Hill Formation

Age

470–445 Ma (Middle Ordovician to Late Ordovician)

Rock types

schist

Elevation

80 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.

• Connecticut Geological Survey
• CT DEEP state land rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules