Minerva Mine Area: Alstonite & Barite Rockhounding in Hardin County, Illinois

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Hardin County

State

Illinois

Nearest road

Minerva Mine Road

Coordinates

37.54309, -88.15630

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 Minerva Mine Area

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 86°F in midsummer and 41°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 22°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ELIZABETHTOWN station (11 mi away).

Geology at Minerva Mine Area

This spot sits on Upper Pope Group (Tar Springs Sandstone through Kinkaid Limestone), mapped as limestone, sandstone, and shale that formed roughly 330 to 325 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this is the classic host for lead, zinc, and fluorite mineralization, which typically follows old cavities and replacement zones.

Mapped unit

Upper Pope Group (Tar Springs Sandstone through Kinkaid Limestone)

Age

330–325 Ma (Mississippian)

Rock types

limestone, sandstone, and shale

Elevation

410 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.

• Illinois State Geological Survey
• Illinois DNR site rules
• Shawnee National Forest
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules