Hinch Copper Mine: Copper & Cuprite Rockhounding in Crawford County, Missouri

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Crawford County

State

Missouri

Nearest road

Christy Mine Road

Postcode

65441

Coordinates

38.03513, -91.14478

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 Hinch Copper Mine

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 87°F in midsummer and 41°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, STEELVILLE 2 N station (12 mi away).

Geology at Hinch Copper Mine

This spot sits on Gasconade Dolomite, mapped as dolostone that formed roughly 485 to 470 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this dissolves and weathers readily, so fresh road cuts, quarries, and creek exposures are typically the most productive ground.

Mapped unit

Gasconade Dolomite

Age

485–470 Ma (Early Ordovician)

Rock types

dolostone

Elevation

790 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.

• Missouri Geological Survey
• Mark Twain National Forest
• Missouri State Parks rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules