Spectrum Sunstone Mine: Sunstone Rockhounding in Lake County, Oregon

Quick details

Access

Paid / fee dig

County

Lake County

State

Oregon

Coordinates

42.73258, -119.86777

Geology at Spectrum Sunstone Mine

This spot sits on Columbia River Basalt Group; Steens Basalt, mapped as basalt flows and feldspar olivine phenocrysts; fracture fill: fibrous calcite white calcite chabazite analcite natrolite stilbite zeolite that formed roughly 23 to 5 million years ago. Volcanic ground like this weathers into rocky slopes and float, and fresh exposures in cuts and drainages are usually the most productive places to look.

Mapped unit

Columbia River Basalt Group; Steens Basalt

Age

23–5 Ma (Miocene)

Rock types

basalt flows and feldspar olivine phenocrysts; fracture fill: fibrous calcite white calcite chabazite analcite natrolite stilbite zeolite

Elevation

4,650 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 Spectrum Sunstone Mine

Best months: February to November. Typical highs run 87°F in midsummer and 44°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 25°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, HART MTN REFUGE station (17 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Pay-to-dig site

This is a fee-dig location. Hours, prices, and what you can keep vary by operator. Call ahead before driving out.

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 Oregon/Washington — Rockhounding & mineral material
• Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI)
• Oregon Parks and Recreation Department — beach collecting rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Spectrum Sunstone Mine

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

• Sunstone