Adams County: Azurite & Cuprite Rockhounding in Adams County, Pennsylvania

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Adams County

State

Pennsylvania

Nearest road

Iron Springs Road

Postcode

17214

Coordinates

39.75563, -77.45288

Geology at Adams County

This spot sits on Metabasalt, mapped as metabasalt that formed roughly 4600 to 540 million years ago. Copper minerals such as malachite and chrysocolla typically show up where mineralized rock like this has weathered and oxidized near old workings.

Mapped unit

Metabasalt

Age

4600–540 Ma (Precambrian)

Rock types

metabasalt

Elevation

1,360 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 Adams County

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 36°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 21°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, S MTN station (7 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 Adams County

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

• AzuriteEncyclopedia →
• CupriteEncyclopedia →
• MalachiteEncyclopedia →