Lowville: Fluorite Rockhounding in Lewis County, New York

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Lewis County

State

New York

Nearest road

Number Three Road

Postcode

13367

Coordinates

43.80957, -75.51016

Geology at Lowville

This spot sits on Trenton Group, mapped as limestone that formed roughly 470 to 460 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this is the classic host for lead, zinc, and fluorite mineralization, which typically follows old cavities and replacement zones.

Mapped unit

Trenton Group

Age

470–460 Ma (Middle Ordovician)

Rock types

limestone

Elevation

1,210 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 Lowville

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 25°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 7°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LOWVILLE station (2 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.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at Lowville

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

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