Rockhounding in Saint Louis County, Minnesota
8 mapped rockhounding spots in Saint Louis County. Most commonly produces lake superior agate, jasper, iron, agate.
Saint Louis County rockhounding photos
Representative spot and material photos from this county, shown where verified public image records are available.
Map showing 8 rockhounding spots in Saint Louis County, Minnesota
Minerals reported in Saint Louis County
- Lake Superior Agate6
- Jasper5
- Iron4
- Agate1
- Chalcedony1
- Evergreen Jasper1
- Goethite1
- Marcasite1
Standouts in Saint Louis County
Hand-picked spots in Saint Louis County, chosen for unusual mineralogy or documented public access. Each card opens the full coordinates and access notes.
Top pickEly
PublicSaint Louis County
The bedrock around Ely belongs to the Archean Ely Greenstone, some of the oldest rock in Minnesota at roughly 2.7 billion years, and its iron formations and quartz veins yield jasper, quartz, and chalcedony. Streams, road cuts, and old prospect dumps in the Vermilion district are the traditional collecting ground. Much of the surrounding land is Superior National Forest, where casual hand collecting for personal use is generally permitted.
Jasper, Quartz, Chalcedony
Top pickHibbing (area 2)
PublicSaint Louis County
Hibbing sits on the Mesabi Range, where the 1.9-billion-year-old Biwabik Iron Formation exposes banded iron formation of alternating hematite, magnetite, and goethite layered with red and gray jasper. Road cuts and old workings across the range yield hand samples of jasper, banded iron, and glacially transported Lake Superior agate. The Hull Rust Mahoning overlook nearby shows the scale of the deposits that seed the surrounding gravels.
Iron, Agate, Jasper, Marcasite
Spots in Saint Louis County
| Spot | Minerals | Coordinates | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| BiwabikOld Highway 135 | 47.5294, -92.3662 | Public | |
| Biwabik (area 2)Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Ry | 47.5045, -92.4378 | Public | |
| ElyDavid Dill-Taconite State Trail | 47.8756, -91.9145 | Public | |
| French RiverNorth Shore Drive | 46.8976, -91.8955 | Public | |
| General Area (jasper) | 47.3858, -93.0547 | Public | |
| HibbingEast 3rd Street | 47.4602, -92.9337 | Public | |
| Hibbing (area 2) | 47.4443, -92.9945 | Public | |
| WintonState Highway 169 |
| 47.9225, -91.8006 | Public |
Neighboring counties in Minnesota
Adjacent rockhounding counties, ranked by how close their centroids sit to Saint Louis County. A natural extension if Saint Louis County is already on your trip plan.
- Lake County~52 mi5 spotsTop: Lake Superior Agate, Thomsonite, Zeolite
- Carlton County~55 mi3 spotsTop: Garnet, Greenalite, Lake Superior Agate
- Crow Wing County~105 mi3 spotsTop: Agate, Binghamite, Chalcedony
- Cook County~111 mi4 spotsTop: Lintonite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite
- Morrison County~142 mi3 spotsTop: Staurolite, Garnet, Lake Superior Agate
Across the state line from Saint Louis County
Rockhounding counties in neighboring states within driving range. Geology rarely respects state borders — these are often the closest mapped spots you can reach without going deeper into Minnesota.
Saint Louis County FAQ
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