Jefferson: Topaz Rockhounding in Chesterfield County, South Carolina

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Chesterfield County

State

South Carolina

Nearest road

Simpson Road

Postcode

29728

Coordinates

34.71407, -80.36414

Geology at Jefferson

This spot sits on Peedee Formation - Black Creek Group, undivided, mapped as clay and sand that formed roughly 72 to 66 million years ago. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.

Mapped unit

Peedee Formation - Black Creek Group, undivided

Age

72–66 Ma (Late Cretaceous)

Rock types

clay and sand

Elevation

540 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 Jefferson

Best months: August to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 55°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 32°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, PAGELAND station (3 mi away).

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 Jefferson

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

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