Best spot

Crystal Mountain Mine: White Fluorite & Green Fluorite Rockhounding in Ravalli County, Montana

Updated June 2026

Crystal Mountain Mine is a focused fluorite locality, with Mindat tying the Ravalli County site to the Crystal Mountain Fluorspar Mine and listing fluorite with quartz and accessory phosphate and silicate minerals nearby. The spot broadens Montana's top list beyond sapphire, agate, and historic base-metal districts with a clear single-mineral identity. Reported finds include white fluorite, green fluorite, purple fluorite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Crystal Mountain Mine photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

1 photo

Deep purple cubic fluorite crystals with white calcite, a representative specimen of the fluorite mined at Crystal Mountain Mine, Ravalli County, Montana

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Ravalli County
State: Montana
Nearest road: FS 74919
Coordinates: 46.00658, -113.88813

Geology at Crystal Mountain Mine

This spot sits on Biotite-hornblende granodioritic rocks along the Continental Divide, Anaconda Range, Sapphire Mountains, and Flint Creek Range, mapped as biotite-hornblende granodiorite, biotite-hornblende monzogranite, and tonalite that formed roughly 145 to 66 million years ago. Plutonic rock like this weathers slowly into grus and boulders, and the most productive collecting is typically in weathered zones and drainages.

Mapped unit: Biotite-hornblende granodioritic rocks along the Continental Divide, Anaconda Range, Sapphire Mountains, and Flint Creek Range
Age: 145–66 Ma (Cretaceous)
Rock types: biotite-hornblende granodiorite, biotite-hornblende monzogranite, and tonalite
Elevation: 6,770 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.

Best time to visit Crystal Mountain Mine

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 76°F in midsummer and 26°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 4°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, SULA 14 NE station (10 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

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.

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

BLM Montana — Recreational mineral collecting
Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine (fee-dig operator)
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Crystal Mountain Mine

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Crystal Mountain Mine.

Across the state line from Crystal Mountain Mine

Crystal Mountain Mine is close enough to the Montana border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Crystal Mountain Mine FAQ

Where is Crystal Mountain Mine?+

Crystal Mountain Mine is in Ravalli County, Montana, at 46.00658, -113.88813. Nearest road: FS 74919.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Crystal Mountain Mine?+

Crystal Mountain Mine is reported to produce White Fluorite, Green Fluorite, Purple Fluorite.

Is collecting allowed at Crystal Mountain Mine?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Crystal Mountain Mine?+

A rock hammer, gloves, and safety glasses cover old mining-district ground. Stay out of shafts and adits; the best specimens typically come from dump piles.

When is the best time to visit Crystal Mountain Mine?+

The most comfortable months at Crystal Mountain Mine are April to October.

How do I get to Crystal Mountain Mine?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 46.00658, -113.88813 in Google Maps. The nearest road is FS 74919.

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