Champion Mine Dump: Hematite & Sapphire Rockhounding in Marquette County, Michigan

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Marquette County

State

Michigan

Nearest road

Mine Street

Postcode

49814

Coordinates

46.50851, -87.98885

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 Champion Mine Dump

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 22°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 2°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, CHAMPION VAN RIPER PK station (1 mi away).

Geology at Champion Mine Dump

This spot sits on Menominee Group, undivided, mapped as quartzite, slate, and banded iron formation that formed roughly 2500 to 1600 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

Menominee Group, undivided

Age

2500–1600 Ma (Paleoproterozoic)

Rock types

quartzite, slate, and banded iron formation

Elevation

1,730 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

• Michigan DNR, Rockhounding rules
• Michigan Geological Survey
• Isle Royale National Park, Rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules