Oscura Mountains: Chrysocolla & Chalcocite Rockhounding in Socorro County, New Mexico
- Minerals reported
- 12
- Elevation
- 6,390 ft
- Best months
- Year-round
Oscura Mountains is a mapped rockhounding spot in Socorro County, New Mexico. Reported finds include chrysocolla, chalcocite, atacamite, azurite, barite, and more. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Permission required before collecting
- County
- Socorro County
- State
- New Mexico
- Nearest road
- Wsmr South Route 3501
- Coordinates
- 33.81175, -106.37505
Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.
Land & collecting status
Permission required before collecting
Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.
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 Oscura Mountains
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 48°F in winter to 88°F in summer.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BINGHAM 2 NE station (7 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Oscura Mountains
This spot sits on ground mapped as shale, limestone, and mixed clastic that formed roughly 325 to 300 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.
- Age
- 325–300 Ma (Pennsylvanian)
- Rock types
- shale, limestone, and mixed clastic
- Elevation
- 6,390 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.
Today's weather
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The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Oscura Mountains.
Get the appSources & 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:
- Rockhound State Park, Collection rules
- BLM New Mexico
- New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Oscura Mountains
Each name 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 Oscura Mountains.
- Mockingbird GapSocorro County, New Mexico · 19 mi awayJasper
- White OaksLincoln County, New Mexico · 36 mi awayGold, Huebnerite, Onyx
- AnchoLincoln County, New Mexico · 38 mi awayJasper
- Strawberry PeakSocorro County, New Mexico · 41 mi awaySatin Spar
- Kelly Ghost TownSocorro County, New Mexico · 50 mi awaySmithsonite, Zinc, Fossil
- Graphic MineSocorro County, New Mexico · 51 mi awayAzurite, Malachite, Smithsonite
- Fra Cristobal RangeSierra County, New Mexico · 51 mi awayAgate, Jasper
- Nit MineSocorro County, New Mexico · 52 mi awayPyrite
Oscura Mountains FAQ
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More rockhounding in New Mexico
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